Attraction
by LostInTheMystery
Summary: With all the hardship come their way, a family in peril finds love where danger and suspicions blossom. Can it survive the hard onslaught of murder and betrayal or will someone lose the ability to trust anyone again? – Kuroba family centric / Part 3 to "Deception"
1. Fireside

**AN:** This is **Part 3** to the ongoing story that is posted on our page, written by Mysteryfan17 and me, Lostinthedreams. It will not make sense at all without reading the previous parts, being "Manipulation" and "Deception".

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 **Chapter 112: Fireside**

Saguru had found a nice spot off to the side and sent Watson to a perch. After getting Kaito to finally turn and go off for a moment it took scarcely 14 minutes for Watson to find his own supper. He recalled Watson to him and went over to Kaito. "We still need the wood for the fire. If you would, I can have you take Watson and bring the wood myself."

"I can do both." Kaito didn't even worry about the stupid glove. He didn't like it and he pulled out a sheet of cloth instead, wrapping it around his arm. Kaito whistled the same one Saguru used to call the hawk, watching it actually listen to him even when it was in his brother's possession. Kaito grabbed part of the cloth and held it in his fist so it wouldn't slip too much. "Come on then, lets look for some sticks. Can't be that hard to find dead trees in the forest." He also thought it was kind of cool, holding the bird. It wasn't like it was more than a few pounds.

Saguru could not believe it backfired. He had meant for Kaito to not have to take so much. They headed back, slightly further in the woods than before and did find a tree that had fallen over and were able to gather quite a few branches. "We know where to find more for when we need it at least."

"We're in a forest," Kaito muttered with a laugh, getting a little pile for himself while he bent his knees, grabbing up what he could hold in one arm once it was gathered. "It's not all that hard to find wood."

"Even I know it is easier to burn dead wood than green. This is far better than pulling branches from a still living tree." Saguru said as he shifted and turned with a load in his arms.

"We're probably just going to cook with it anyway. It kills your night vision and it's _way_ too hot out for it now." Kaito watched Watson while they headed back instead of in front of him. He was sure of his footing and he had the wood situated well enough. He didn't like taking his brother's bird from him so he was going to savor the feeling of holding - kinda - such a creature outside and in the daylight. It felt very different then holding him in the hospital or at night at Saguru's old place. It was cool now.

Saguru watched the ground, making sure he did not trip until they reached the tree line and he turned toward the campsite. He saw the tent there while he spotted no one else, though as they neared, he saw the zipper was closed and wondered why she would do that.

Kaito whistled a few times, just whistled and looked at Watson, bobbing him a little on his arm in tune with the noise. He looked over where Saguru did at the tent, catching sight of the feather and figuring mom went exploring on her own. "Guess we have to wait until she..." He turned his eyes, figures in the distance catching his attention. It took him a second longer to know one was their mom. It _was_ a camping ground so he wasn't all that surprised to see someone else, though he still had trouble with trusting strangers. Considering how calm mom looked around Chris, he couldn't tell if the person following her was dangerous or not so he sat down, pretending he hadn't noticed them with his body language, though his eyes wouldn't leave until they were close enough to notice. " _I guess we're having company for lunch."_

Saguru saw them too and crouched, dropping the wood into a pile by Kaito's. _"Should I send Watson into the air? If it is a threat, Watson dropping down would give us the advantage."_

"It'd take too long and they might notice a signal. Better to keep him close." If there was danger, mom still could have called Kiri. Watson was trained well enough and, honestly, the dove's safety wasn't worth their lives. " _There hasn't been a warning from her yet, so she's either perfectly fine or anything like a whistle will give away our intentions."_

Chikage saw them but didn't bother looking back. _'"Well, seems they've seen us."_

" _And they seem more anxious than I am."_ Toichi looked at Chikage's back. " _I hadn't wanted any of this to happen to you both, I had just wanted you to live as normal and happy a life as you could._ "

 _"We_ are _Kurobas. I don't think 'normal' applies."_

Toichi chuckled to himself. " _I said as you could. I wasn't shooting for perfection._ "

Chikage couldn't help joining, a talent Kaito had got from him. If one of them starts laughing, it spreads to others.

Toichi slowed his steps as they drew closer, his steps matching hers once he thought of how cowardly standing back was. " _I do not know how to initiate or explain this."_

 _"I would use Kiri, but with Watson there, I'm not sure. Maybe just be yourself?"_ She turned to look at him and smiled. _"Saguru may not recognize you, but Kaito may, even if he never saw you without your mustache."_ She laughed again and half turned, still looking at him.

Toichi smiled more and rubbed the place where it had been. " _When someone only sees half your face, it was a bit of a giveaway._ " He didn't hesitate now to take a few steps to be beside her, doing what any good performer would do to make himself obviously not armed - holding her hand from underneath so she could easily let go and his other going loosely to his side. He smiled toward her. " _Thank you for being so forgiving,"_ he breathed, barely moving his mouth so neither of the other two who weren't far would show talents much like his own _._

Kaito was more than a little surprised. He tensed up when the man moved but their mom had smiled about it. That... that was something she wouldn't do if she was trying to warn him of anything. Watson was stilly tying up one arm so he whistled to him to dismount and stay, indicating downward where the hawk fluttered uncertainly since there was no perch. He moved one of the gathered branches for him to rest on and looked up, his brother close and behind him. "Picking up strangers in the woods?"

"No more than you bringing a detective home," Chikage said with a smile.

Kaito relaxed a little more, nothing hidden in her words. Was this guy a detective? He wasn't sure but she seemed fine and the other guy hadn't made any wrong moves. The way she said it was still threatening in a way because it meant it was her doing something stupid, like him bringing a detective into a house of thieves. "What's as bad as a detective?" he asked, half playfully.

Toichi couldn't help laughing to himself. She and Kaito weren't so different. That was not a terrible thing but it was certainly funny. "I'm not too sure if I'm worse than a detective though I have been called a phantom in the past and have been living up to the name," he took the hat off as he spoke, knowing his son was no fool, though he had not seen the boy since he was no more than eight years old.

Kaito just kind of froze, not able to react anymore. It felt like there was something heavy in his stomach as the... the person... human... thing took his hat off and looked... a lot like a member of his family, though one he hadn't seen much. There was a certain member and the wording that just had him staring blankly up, his eyes trying to go to his mom for some explanation but not staying there long enough to read her expression.

Chikage smiled at Kaito and knew it would be a moment for him to regain speech. "Is that what I looked like?"

Toichi smiled and took his eyes away from his son to meet his wife's. "You were a tad more feminine about it, but yes. I did not think it was amusing but in hindsight, most things can be." He took his hand from hers and offered it as he looked back at Kaito, still some feet away, no farther than Chikage had been. "We have a lot to catch up on."

Kaito still didn't move. It wasn't possible and he had been lied to _way_ too many times before.

Saguru was still not sure what was happening. All he knew about the man this was supposed to be was what he had heard and inferred. When he extended his hand to Kaito, Saguru was tempted to keep him from going any closer until they had absolute proof. He raised his hand to reach for Kaito's shoulder if he gave any indication but made no physical contact and his eyes never left the man standing there.

Toichi looked up from his son who seemed in just as much shock as his wife had been in. He could not fault either of them for that. The other boy he had never seen or heard of and seemed the more jumpy of the bunch. It was understandable. He wanted to talk with Kaito but it wasn't fair to the other boy. He had waited ten years, a few minutes wouldn't kill him. "Hello Saguru-kun." He took his hand back and knelt slightly before sitting on the ground, leaving himself vulnerable to try and put the other two at ease. "It seems we all have things that need to be explained. I've never heard of you before today." He tilted his head forward slightly. "I'm Kuroba Toichi," at least, that _had_ been his name. His English one wasn't something he wanted to be known by any longer, or the fake Japanese one he had. "I've only recently returned and your name is the only thing I know of you, so do not feel put off. I do not have much more information on you than that, and that was only through Chikage."

Saguru flicked his eyes quickly to her after he had sat, though he fixed them back on the man within a second. "And what I know of Kuroba Toichi comes from Kaito. Who is to say you are truly he and not yet another person in disguise?"

"I don't know many that would go so far to look like someone they believe is dead. I've been hearing what's been happening, somewhat - It's been rather general - so I can understand your skepticism. I do not know what I can do to prove otherwise to either of you though." Kaito was far too young to remember him well and he had nothing of magic on him, hadn't in some time and none while traveling. It was still too dangerous.

Kaito looked at the guy who looked and kind of, maybe, sounded like his dad. It was really hard to tell. That wasn't physically possible though. He was dead, he had been dead. Kaito had run into his murderer. He didn't know what kind of cruel trick this was but he scooted an inch or two towards his brother. He wanted to believe it, he wanted to believe his mom, but he couldn't understand it.

Saguru felt Kaito back into his hand and an idea came. _"Kaito, you learned from your father, he should be able to tell you something that he taught you that only the two of you know. I know you remember him well enough."_

Kaito didn't move his eyes but his mind went to working again, thinking. There wasn't much he had learned from his dad that he hadn't seen other people do. He had no... well, there was one thing he did that really only he'd seen his father do. He let his eyes dart to Watson, not willing to let himself miss something.

Toichi smiled. He had been able to read the other boy's lips more than he had heard him, and mixed with the impression he was getting from the quick look away, it wasn't hard to guess. "I'd need to know how to call him. I don't think working with a hawk" and yes, he could tell easily enough it was a hawk, "that someone is unfamiliar with is best but I do believe I could do it if I know that much." He looked up at his wife. "You should have the other few things I need. I did notice you have several of the same pockets I normally have."

"Single, steady whistle calls him to you," Saguru said as he saw their mother nod and reach into her pockets. She pulled out a few things, handing them down to the man.

Toichi got to a knee and took them, seeing that the way he made them was different. He wondered if Chikage had changed them or Kaito. "I think my design was better." Not that he had left many smoke bombs. The pressure in these was stronger. He didn't want to cut up his arm so he took one of the shorter, steadier sticks from the pile that was there and called him to it. He stood once he was on it. "I hope you don't mind me borrowing your friend." Another thing he hadn't worked with was birds even longer than magic.

"While he is well trained, I have never exposed him to magic," Saguru said, catching on in a way and slightly curious as to what exactly he was intending to do.

"Doves are easier as far as stagehands go because of their intelligence and appearance. Both work in our favor. I've worked with larger animals and, as long as he doesn't spook as easily as most wild ones, it should be fine." Toichi put his hat back on. He wouldn't roll up his sleeves. He wasn't like most of the modern day magicians in that aspect. He held the stick out to his side so the hawk on it was as far away as possible. This would hurt a little because it was untrained but he had been through worse. He didn't feel right using a powerful smoke bomb on it so he aimed towered the ground when he flicked his other wrist, turning his face away from the smoke that quickly took up that half of his body. It vanished just as quickly and he dropped the now empty stick on the floor with a smile before bending back down to look Kaito in the eye, taking the brim of his hat and removing it, the hawk sitting atop his head. "I haven't lost my touch just yet."

Not everyone could have done that and, if it had been anyone else that had seen his shows, no one knew he liked this one the best and had done it himself, once he got the hang of it. His father had made up so many that he was _sure_ no one could have picked this one out of the many. He was sure. He had to be sure... It had. Kaito lost any of that fear and restraint he had, going and hugging the man that... that was his dad. He had to be. He couldn't stop himself from crying, feeling when he knocked him back on his butt. He had nothing to say. Nothing. He was so tired of it all and his dad was here and how and he didn't care how and just Kami... his dad was here. He was alive.

Toichi wasn't used to taking on a teenagers weight and fell back when Kaito half tackled him. The bird became scared and flew off with some flaps around his face before he was back to looking at his son in front of him who didn't get angry with him or any of the things he had assumed from him. Something truly had gone wrong. He'd figure it out later, he thought, as he put his hands around him in return. "Hey, I'm not as young as I used to be."

Chikage smiled down at the two of them taking a step to the side so her husband would see her. _"See, I told you."_

" _That you did_ ," Toichi whispered back, taking a second to close his eyes and hug his son back the way he had her. He had thought he'd never see them again, likely the same way that they had thought of him, the only difference- he knew they were alive and out there. Only now that he was back before them could he not understand all his arguments with himself of staying away. He moved his head and looked at the other boy, running his hand through Kaito's hair since it didn't look like he was going to release him anytime soon. "Would the both of you mind catching me up in a more orderly fashion than what I've heard and I shall do the same? Your story seems more pressing."

Saguru had started to turn, knowing that Watson's claws likely left their mark during the importune trick. When he saw that he was the one being addressed he paused and met the man's eye. Kaito had broken down completely and that alone told him this was no trick. "It is rather complex, though you need some tending to first as a precaution. As soon as that is done, I will give you what I know."

"That's fine. I have no where to be and all the time in the world." Toichi really did now.

Saguru nodded and went to the tent, retrieving the first aid kit and returning to the others. _"You do not need to move him either. Now stay still."_

Toichi couldn't help smiling, a teenager talking to him as if he were the child. He was more than double the boy's age. "I won't." He felt the boy part his hair and dab at where he knew the hawk's claws had got him. He hissed in a quiet breath, feeling Kaito's arms tighten around him. He clenched his teeth instead and brushed his hand through his son's hair.

Chikage smiled at her husband's expression. "With the 'patients' he's had to deal with, that's become a normal thing I think. If he'd only listen to it himself," she added with a look at him and seeing him react but continue working.

Toichi looked up at Chikage with his eyes alone, wincing when it stung. He remembered her saying that she and Kaito had been injured but only something about some, to quote her, bastard, and this other boy.

Saguru finished and patted the area dry. _"There. That should suffice."_ He shifted to glance at Kaito's head and then over at the man before nodding and going to stand.

"Isn't this where you explain things to me first?" Toichi asked the other boy as he started to stand and walk off. "I would rather hear things from you than Chikage. I'd like to know more about you as well and hearing you speak it from your side should give me an idea of you. Not to sound inconsiderate but your as much a stranger to me as I am to you." Though this boy seemed utterly disinterested in him, and he could not fault him for that either. He didn't share the same lack of interest. He was not about to force Kaito to release him though.

Saguru looked back down at him. He knew little and as much as he wanted his own questions answered, he knew enough to know that Kaito would need what time he had like this to compose himself. "I-" He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked over at their mother. All she did was smile, nod, and take the things from him before walking toward the tent. Saguru glanced down at his empty hands, knowing she had taken them so he no longer had a reason to leave.

Toichi held Kaito a little tighter before letting go with one hand and patting the grass beside him. "Come sit. Even if you do distrust me, I can't really move right now. I'd really like to hear what you have to tell me."

"I assure you, if I truly distrusted you, you would not be so close to him," Saguru said, tipping his head to Kaito before stepping over and sitting off to the side. "I believe you must be who you claim."

"Are any of you in danger right now?" Toichi looked back down at Kaito and over at the other teen. "She said you were hiding. I didn't notice anyone tailing you but is there a chance someone could have, or do you believe it's safe?"

"We should be safe here, though the possibility is more likely as you managed to follow us fairly undetected."

"I've an acquired talent at moving undetected," Toichi said with a smile. "I was behind you so I would have noticed someone that close to you. I wasn't followed." So they were safe. "You don't need to explain anything then. We have the time. I'd rather have this reunion be something natural than something full of bad memories and fear. If you don't mind though," he turned his smile to Saguru. "How did you wind up as part of this family?"

Saguru looked at Kaito briefly and nodded his head. "The result of some of those 'bad memories' was the main reason for it but I would not be here if it were not for him."

"I'm am sorry to hear that. Someone your age shouldn't be exposed- either of your ages- to that type of danger. Most people shouldn't. You have shared sympathy from me. I know the feeling."

"I see that he will never feel it since you care about him." He looked at him. "Dangers, in some measure, I chose. Others were just a matter of time and circumstance."

"Feel what? The fear and pain of mortality?" Toichi noticed the boy had trailed on a different thought path than what they had been on.

"I expected enemies, choosing to be a detective. I never expected for one of them to be the man that use to share my name."

"Ah," Toichi breathed, closing his eyes for a moment. "The world is full of unexpected things. People turning on their children has not been one of the most shocking I've encountered, I'm sorry to say. I do hope humanity has made up with good for the amount of bad you have seen. It is sad for those it has not, though if one thing can be said, it is that life truly isn't fair and we should not expect it to be."

"Kaito and our mother are still alive, as am I. That you are as well makes them happier than I have seen and very close to what I heard."

"I came here to put grievances aside, not to reintroduce myself to this life. I couldn't help it once the opportunity was there though. What about you? From what I've seen of you, you don't look very happy yourself."

Saguru shifted and could not meet his eye for a moment so he glanced over at Kaito again. He managed a small smile and took a deep breath. "As you said, it may be best to enjoy the moment rather than mar it with what happened before."

"I didn't mean to. I mean you don't look very happy now."

Saguru shook his head. He knew he should be, especially for Kaito, but he couldn't help feeling that small bit inside that once wanted the ability to do the same thing. Nakamori-ojisan was easily the closest, though he still saw him as an inspector as well. "I would say that it is because of you that the other two have improved so. No offense, but it does not have quite the same effect of lifting my spirits as it has theirs."

"I didn't expect it to or try to have it. You just seem like someone who's naturally more pessimistic. Whether that impression came from whatever you've gone through, I'm not sure. It was only that, a feeling." He reached out his hand again. "You seemed pretty worried for Kaito. Come closer."

Saguru shifted to a crouch. "You are correct about that. You mean a great deal to him and yet this is the longest he has been silent while still being awake."

Toichi reached out his hand and grabbed the boy, pulling him closer since he still seemed hesitant on the matter. Even if he was half on his side, he was at least close enough for Toichi to give him a half hug with his free hand before taking it back and messing with Kaito's hair once more. He had been crying but it looked more like he was half sleeping on him now. "It was taking in a lot at once." He smiled, not looking at Chikage since she had not made herself known.

Saguru was not sure how to react. This was so much like when Kaito had taken him by surprise on the landing to the agency - unexpected and strange. However, even when he was released, he did not pull away. The closer view and slight change in perspective of his brother showed he was closer to sleeping than anything else. "He has not been that relaxed since..."

"Since he passed out on you."

Toichi thought that sounded like a bad thing though when Saguru-kun's cheeks started turning red he had a feeling it was more of praise toward whatever connection Kaito had made with the other teen. He smiled over at him. "You have a special bond with him I take it. Kaito seemed nervous enough when I saw him that having him be more relaxed around you than his own mother says a lot about your character."

"It was... most likely he was worn out." Saguru finished. It was not unlikely. Each time had been when Kaito had done something or stayed up for him to the point where he would collapse 'on' whoever was there.

Toichi smiled a little more. "He had more energy than any child I'd ever come across. I don't feel he would have lost that if he didn't trust you, especially to be around you while he was so vulnerable."

"It did take me by surprise considering how we met each other."

"It takes me by surprise now, though not much, that you're a detective and you're here. The world is full of wonderful surprises like that."

"Instead of me catching him as I had originally intended, it seems, like one of his heists, he turned the tables once again."

"I had to guess you knew, that's more than I did, if things went so far. You've been thrown off a track of normalcy and that isn't the worst thing, though even I can sense the tension without knowing you well. It is hard to tell someone to be something they're not, though I think you should try to open your mind and make yourself more adaptable to new situations. Besides that, if they already have and I am not leaving, I would be honored to think of you as a member of the family, faults and all, whether you share the same grace of me or not. "

Saguru looked at him and back at Kaito. "With all the changes in my life this past month, and even before that, I have to say I did not see this coming." He caught a small laugh from behind him and looked over.

"So, you thought Ginzo-kun was the only one that would offer that or... oh, being genuine about it." Her laugh stopped and she gave him a sad smile. "If you're thinking of Inoue-san again, you better not put the two together."

Toichi looked back up at her. "I do not think many can be associated with me."

"Not like that. This man claimed to be a friend of his family and was suppose to take him in if something happened. A week ago, he proved false too."

"Twice you've been scorned." He looked back at Saguru-kun. "You have worse luck than most and still you're here. Associate what and whom you wish with me. I will make sure to be only myself so you cannot place someone else's bad deeds on every new person you meet. "

Saguru straightened slightly and nodded. "I accept." He glanced over his shoulder at their mother, back at Kaito, and then over to the man's face. "This family seems to have the luck aspect Kaito goes on about and 'third time is the charm' right?"

Toichi thought that funny and chuckled to himself. "It's not common for a family member to accept another. I supposed that makes you more odd that you seem to act. Take that as a compliment. I prefer the oddities in people to the commonality of the populous." Toichi also felt he had been in America too long. The conservative nature of one was far different from the other. He settled on reaching his hand out to go over to teen's since his other arm was full. "We will see where life takes us all."

Chikage chuckled and leaned over, putting her arm behind Saguru to place her hand on Toichi's shoulder and her other hand touching his and Saguru's. "In a couple weeks, after the boys take their exams and a favor is returned, the answer is England."

Toichi closed his eyes and turned his head to the side with another chuckle and a smile. "Well now, doesn't that make things work out considering I don't want to go around in a hat and under a false name any longer."

Saguru looked over at him from between the two of them. "Was it a legitimate one or were you simply in hiding yourself?"

"It was legitimate. I went through legal channels where I normally wouldn't." Toichi looked back over at the boy. "Why do you ask?"

"It does not mat-ter." Saguru glanced back when their mother had shifted. "That is, if you had not been, I could legitimize your return."

"I would not risk it. My name and appearance are known to too many who would try and kill me. I choose life over that bit of happiness." Toichi looked up at his wife. "Don't worry. My name is still in the bureau so it is not as if it is not still my own or that I do not think of it more as my own then the one I was given. Is that what was bothering you?"

"No different than I. I was merely inquiring as to where your ties had been."

"I do not mean to insult you Saguru-kun but I wasn't talking to you."

"Like he could tell, you looked over his head." Chikage finally said around the smile as she felt Saguru shift and look away without answering. She shook her head. "He was right though. And I would never care what name you went by."

"Nor I you. As far as things are concerned though I would prefer my birth name as much as possible. It had seemed as if it bothered you that it wasn't legally mine any longer." It was impossible for him to move the way he wanted so he ended up pulling his hand away from theirs and around Saguru's back, leaning as much as he could backwards so he could touch his forehead against Chikage. "It does feel good to have my family back. You'll never know how much I've missed that."

Chikage nodded slightly against it but his words may have been exactly what Saguru was thinking. They had changed his name and, rather than asking or having it go to his mother's maiden name, they'd made it their's. "As much as we missed you being here with us." She lowered her voice to less than a whisper. _"Family is family, even if it isn't by blood."_

Toichi's smiled curved up, a bit of mischievousness of his own there now that he was more relaxed as well. " _Look who you are talking too. You are not related to me by blood either and I couldn't love you more."_

 _"And not only am I not the only one now..."_ She looked at Kaito. _"I guess you have to wait."_

" _Wait for what?"_

Chikage sighed and smiled but shook her head slightly against his. "You need to wait for your son to tell you. It's his news."

" _I didn't get to talk to him much at all. There are many things that will have to wait_." Toichi moved just slightly and felt when Kaito's hands tightened, though he didn't look anymore awake. " _I don't think I'll be able to move before then,_ " he said with some laughter in his words.

Saguru smiled to himself, having deduced what she was talking about. "We know Kaito will invite him, that is for sure."

Toichi had to smile at them, knowing when something was being hidden from him. He was curious as to what he was talking about and when he thought of what he could be invited to it fully dawned on him what month it was. He hadn't kept track of dates recently, more coming because it had been bothering him so much, but his son would officially, an in some ways already was, be an adult soon. That made him feel terrible and old at the same time which made him laugh.

Chikage smiled and squeezed closer. "Try as you may, you won't get it, since you admitted to not knowing what was going on around here."

"A shame really. I had no contacts here though. I hope you'll catch me up."

"We will, but I think his first stirrings will be to supper." She brushed a hand through Kaito's hair. "Saguru and I can handle it. You're right, you're not moving for the moment."

"Don't let me keep you." Toichi leaned over more to kiss her on the cheek. "I won't and can't be going anywhere this time."

Chikage smiled. "I know. He doesn't let go of anything."

Saguru watched her stand and thought of the evidence that showed the one time, but that part had not made any papers. He glanced over at Kaito before standing himself and going to the woodpile to start breaking it up.

Toichi held Kaito as close as he could while he didn't have to put stress on either of them, having to watch his wife and new son - which he hadn't expected. He came back to more family then he'd left - set up the fire so that they could cook over it. It was kind of painful sitting hunched over so he straightened them as best he could without startling Kaito, also turning a bit so he could see better. It was obvious neither was an amateur to cooking though he hadn't remember his wife doing much of that type of thing. The boy was a bit more of a surprise considering he was a boy. It was calming to watch and catch that attractive smell of the burnt wood and later the cooking food. He'd only gotten a fast breakfast but the want for food was no where near his happiness at the moment that things had a chance at being similar to how they had been before.

Saguru took the food off the fire after he checked it and looked up as their mother brought over some plates. There was easily enough for four due to the extra that would likely have gone to Kaito otherwise, though he was not sure if he received his high metabolism from his father or not. They walked over to the two and Saguru set the pan down on the blanket their mother had spread next to them. "It is not much but there should still be enough for the four of us."

"It was as unexpected for me as it was for you. I could go shopping for myself tomorrow if I'm freed by then," Toichi spoke lightly with some laughter. "Considering everything, odds that you have enough for me besides what you're already splitting is unlikely and that's easier than having everyone still hungry after." He put his fingers through Kaito's hair, letting him go, but his son seemed to have no interest in either the food or waking himself up. "I don't think I have the heart to bother him at this point."

Saguru looked over at their mother. "He will have to move sooner or later and he has not eaten since breakfast that I saw."

Chikage smiled at him. "You think it'll work again?"

Saguru looked over at him. "There is only one way to find out."

Chikage chuckled and looked over at the two of them as well. She walked over and knelt right beside them, leaning close and putting her mouth right to Kaito's ear. It wasn't perfect but with the way he was, it didn't need to be flawless, luckily. _"Kaito, wake up."_

Kaito twitched, the noise in his ear loud and tickling him. He tried to hide it behind his shoulder. "Shoo."

Saguru chuckled and reached over to tap his shoulder. "You need to eat now so you can go back to sleep in a more comfortable position for you both."

That snapped him more awake. When had he fallen asleep with Aoko and what the heck did he mean by comfortable? What did he walk in on? Kaito moved, feeling his chest kind of sore, pushing himself up with his arms before he looked around and started to remember things he forgot. His eyes turned right to his dad, still wide and his mind still half not understanding this. He wanted to grab him again and did all could to keep himself sitting once he pushed himself up on his butt. He was only half aware of the other two or anything really.

Toichi smiled gently at his son. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise. I'm not some ghost either and there's food and frankly I'm hungry." He reached out for a plate and put it on his now free leg. "Eat, then we'll talk."

Saguru sighed when Kaito made no move for it. He placed some food on a plate and crouched next to Kaito. "I do not want to go through with you what I did with Hattori. Just eat something."

"When did you go through that with Hattori? The agency? That was easy," Kaito spoke tonelessly, his eyes not leaving his father.

Saguru touched his shoulder and held the plate just in front of him. "And he was not my brother. Here. _You know how patient I can be."_

Kaito sighed, relaxing and looking over at his brother instead. It was hard to do but strangely... easy in other ways. He took the plate from him and frowned like a spoiled child, taking it. "Fine, I'm eating. Next time we go for ice cream you'd _better_ eat it all too or I'm using this against you."

"So long as I order the size."

"So long as it's bigger than a small."

"A medium."

"Maybe."

"I do not have your extensive sweet tooth and you know it."

"No one hates ice cream."

"Few can eat the amount you can in a single sitting."

"Lots of people can handle a large."

Toichi laughed at the two. Saguru-kun had been withdrawn a few seconds ago and now he wasn't and he didn't know his son could be so stubborn in such an odd way. Fighting over the size of a desert in exchange for eating. It was one of the strangest things he'd seen to the point it was almost comical.

Kaito looked back at his dad where his attention had suddenly shifted back to before taking a plastic fork and eating his food. "You can eat a large."

"One topping then," Saguru muttered as he stood and turned to get his own.

"Fine," Kaito agreed to, looking back at his dad and the smile on his face. "Hey." He put the down for a second. "Can I ask you the obvious... How are you alive?"

Toichi's laughter had died down but the aftereffects of it had him smiling more at his son then he would have if the question had been brought up normally. "I faked my death with the help of Kudo-kun. He'd noticed things weren't playing out the way they should have and offered me his help. I took it. I needed to make sure that I was the only target. I didn't want you or your mother in danger, though it seems a bit pointless now."

Kaito waited while he thought on that and how stupid and pointless and how much he'd rather have had his father with him... though he had to admit he wouldn't want him trying to get murdered over and over again. He could understand why but that didn't mean he liked it any more. He picked the food back up and started eating, wondering how his dad hadn't at least told them anything.

Saguru took another bit and once he swallowed, as no one said anything, he did. "Why did you choose to cut yourself off and never give them the indication at least that you were still alive?"

"Because you can't miss something you think you can never have as much as you can miss something you can see, but never touch. I wouldn't have done things halfway. It would have been more painful" Toichi spoke, somewhat quietly while he ate some of the food himself with the others.

Chikage leaned over. "OK, happier note. Kaito, I think your dad wants to know something about you."

Kaito looked up at her, not too sure what his dad couldn't know about him or how much had gone on when it seemed he'd passed out. "What?"

"It's your news. Thought you'd tell him yourself... invite him to it." Chikage moved her hand out of her husband's vision and moved her ring finger.

"OH!" Kaito smacked himself in the forehead. "Right. Other things have been on my mind." He peeked his eyes open from under his hand. "Ah, dad?" And at that sounded weird... he wasn't used to having his dad here and not dead and here. "I'm ah, kinda engaged. I'm going to get married in... I guess a few months. I don't think I really have to invite you like, verbally. You're my dad but yeah..."

With how much had happened, there wasn't much that could take him by surprise though this was higher up on that topped off rating. "You are marrying a lot younger then I did, but that's beside the point. Congratulations should be said first, so congratulations. I hope you're happy. Why aren't you out here with-… The danger. Ah. I should have thought of that."

Kaito smiled at his dad and nodded. "Yeah, it's Aoko. I'm sure you remember her. She hasn't changed much. She's safer with her dad, though we are kidnapping her to go to England."

"You two always were cute together. I'd like to see her now when I get the chance. It doesn't seem far off. She should be congratulated as well. I'm sure you two will be happy if you've moved things along so fast. You've done a lot more than I had by the time I was your age."

Kaito shrugged a little. "You know when you love someone and thanks," he said with a wide grin, showing off some of his food when he went to finish chewing it. "I'm a fast learner."

"Although his method was a bit more public than yours," Chikage said from behind her hand.

Toichi smiled to her. "Ours was a bit more unique."

Chikage smiled and leaned over. "But still romantic."

"I would not have settled for less."

"You wouldn't have risked me saying no."

"You wouldn't have said no." Toichi laughed at how they were sounding like the other two. "You literally fell for me."

Chikage blushed at that, loosing any chance hiding her thoughts now.

Toichi got up, moving and sitting directly next to her, taking her face and turning it to kiss her on the lips. "In memory of a wonderful night out."

Chikage smiled and leaned in to meet his lips. It was still the same. Nothing changed in all these years. Her hand came up and touched his sleeve.

Toichi hadn't even held a woman, let alone kissed one since he had left and the fact that she accepted him back so easily, and the touch on his arm, made him keep the contract a few seconds longer than he normally would, keeping his fingers against her skin even as he backed off.

Chikage sighed and her eyes opened again. _"Still like magic."_

" _What can I say to that?_ " Toichi said jokingly as he pulled back. " _Right now, this all feels like magic to me. You've even given me the joy of having another son."_

Chikage smiled. _"Kaito gave you that one. I didn't know until it was done."_

" _It does not matter who, it is you who are one of the parents here, aren't you?_ " Toichi touched her leg, not taking her hand so she could eat instead and he could keep close to her. "Who knows? We might have more."

She eyed him. "We _do_ have a lot of things to catch up on," Chikage said with a smile.

Toichi laughed. "I meant between the two of us. I hope you didn't take that the wrong way. It doesn't mean I'm not interested in more. Lots more. Dozens more," he said with another laugh.

"Oh, I knew what you meant. That 'we' was 'you and me'."

"You've likely had doubts. I just didn't want it to be about my fidelity. You've been my only and you always will be. No one else could handle my offset sense of humor if I even tried and I'd never want anyone to either."

"As though anyone would or could come close. Kaito was the only man-" Chikage laughed lightly. "Well, Ginzo-kun helped like I did with Aoko-chan, but nothing more. I had one man I loved and that was you."

" _I supposed there's not many who could handle either of us, though I do think,"_ Toichi said quietly with a smile, looking over at both his sons. " _I have found some even more difficult_."

 _"Aoko has become a young woman more than up to the task. She can put him in his place faster than I can,"_ Chikage further dropped her voice with her smile widening slightly. _"That's why I used her to wake him."_

" _Then I suppose we only have to work on the second one. He seems a totally different person when Kaito is awake or asleep and not able to see him."_

 _"Let's just say, in the past month, when they haven't known where the other is, something as happened to one of them."_

" _What terrible luck. Seems sad when you think of it that way if neither is confident enough to do what they want in favor of following the other. I suppose I have an idea on how to help with the anxiety issues. I had more than enough myself and it becomes harder the more you let things fester. For now though."_ Toichi leaned back over and kissed her just on the cheek this time since they both were eating. " _I think you and I have more catching up to do than anything else."_

 _"Mmm"_ Chikage swallowed and smiled. _"We have over a week out here, and personally, I'm more than happy to catch up even after that."_

" _It is hard to get years in hours, on explanation and emotions, so no need to rush things_."

Kaito ate, looking more at his food than his dad. He wasn't going anywhere and if he did, Kaito knew he could be as fast, if not faster. He was younger, he was more in shape. He wasn't worried about that and seeing his parents together was odd enough but he didn't want to watch them kissing. Of course though, he ate slow, only thinking of something long after he should have. He looked at Saguru. "Hey, I didn't make us lose Watson, did I? "

Saguru looked away from the water toward Kaito and shook his head. "You should know he is trained better than that. I will call him back once we are finished eating. He would not have gone far enough to not hear."

"I wasn't sure. I thought you'd have him near." Kaito kept his... the doves near. He would never have left one for so long. It was just lonely for him or the birds.

"I will, though if it will put your mind at ease I heard him call while we were cooking so he is nearby. Besides, I had to clean up after him, as he was startled from his perch."

Clean up? What did he poop everywhere. Kaito nodded though. "Yeah, I guess we have food but it's nearly gone. Can you call him back?" He didn't know how much more well trained the hawk was to the doves but he'd never seen him gone so long without orders. "And ah... we don't know how that dog thing reacts around other animals and I haven't seen it, so I think it's better to keep him close."

Saguru placed his empty plate down and retrieved the glove. He stood and, placing his fingers to his lips, gave a whistle.

Kaito could have called Watson if he wanted to, but he was his brother's bird and, with him here, it was kind of stupid and mean do it himself. He watched the hawk sore over when he got closer, having been somewhere hundreds of feet away and near a different part of the shore. It landed on the glove, looking no worse for wear. Kaito smiled and petted his front feathers. "Sorry about that big guy."

Saguru smiled as Watson seemed to eye him. "He may take flight next time you run toward him though."

"Hey, that wasn't my fault. I couldn't help it." Kaito moved to his wing and tried to get Watson used to him again so that he wasn't jumping away from him. Most of the time Kaito had - might be a permanent _had_ now - to move fast. He didn't want to be spooking him each time.

"Perhaps if you can do it without disrupting his perch he will relax again. Here, see if he will step over to you."

"Step over to me? How do I get him to do that if I don't want him to leave your arm?"

Saguru shook his head. "I thought it would be better to make certain he still trusts you. If you would rather wait, I can understand apprehension."

"You told me to get him to move and not disturb his perch. That's a contradiction and you just confused me." Kaito took the cloth back out and around his arm, calling the bird over to see if he would come.

"I meant knocking his perch out from under him, as you did before. This is allowing him to change for himself." Saguru was tempted to rub his forehead. How had he, as Kid, out done him so often when he was confused by something like that?

Kaito put his arm out, happy Watson came over to him. He held him kind of close to himself so he could support and pet him at the same time without having to put too much stress in his body. "Yeah, well, won't you hate it when I'm the one using him and I stick you with Kiri." That made him laugh. "Man, that would be funny just to see if I didn't think he'd eat her."

"If he eats enough beforehand, he should be fine. There are blinders I could use on him and if you wish to bring her out and introduce her. I can also place him in his cage for a short while. I know they all need their share of time to stretch their wings."

"She's fine. She's close. Unlike you I don't keep mine in cages, ever. Well, maybe not _ever_ , but most of the time." Kaito bobbed Watson up and down, trying to get him used to it and see that he wasn't shooing him off. It did make him hold on freaking tight though. His voice, when he spoke, was quieter. " _Everything likes to change at the last second, doesn't it? I think I like this change though."_

 _"It does seem to be a rare positive change."_ Saguru looked over. _"While you were sleeping, he offered the same stance for me as he has for you and I said yes."_

" _Good_ ," Kaito said, not really feeling happy. In fact, none of it had really made it happy yet. He had to figure he was still in shock about it. " _Don't_ you _dare ever do something like that. This is a heart attack I can only take once."_

 _"I do not plan on it though, considering how things seem to go, if something does appear to happen, I will not wait to alert you."_

" _No you won't because I won't have you keeping something like this from me, or them. Them keeping secrets from us and vise versa I mean. We can talk about that later though… they seem busy."_

Saguru did not bother to clarify though he did not look over at them. _"I will take your word on it."_

" _I promise I'll tell you if something happens to me to. I'll admit to not telling you the whole truth on that matter so far though. Don't hold it against me, it just hasn't come up."_

 _"I held out on you too, if you recall. It was because of something Kudo-san said that I decided to tell you about my mother..."_ Saguru paused and took a breath. _"That was not mentioned either, so he does not know where, exactly, we are going when we go to England."_

" _Who, dad?"_ Did that, out of everything, really matter? " _Well, we'll talk later. There's some things that are... well, my problem and I'll tell you and everything, but you've got to do the same, 'kay? I promise, no more big things from you."_

 _"Nothing big,"_ Saguru replied though he could not help but wonder how big something had to be to be classified as such.

Kaito wasn't sure what to do or say anymore. His arm was kind of getting tired but he still kind of like the idea of having a bird companion. That gave him a few ideas, though he'd need either a few days at his house or a session with the old man to get it. That didn't seem impossible. He could head back there before they left. Of course though, those were his thoughts before. He didn't know how different they'd be with his dad around... and that still was going to take a _very_ long time to get use to.


	2. Renewed Embraces

Sorry for the delay. Lost this ages ago when my hard drives were dying/switched around/dead. Found it again. I'm going so slow because I don't have much time fore betaing this long story with all I'm doing but I'll find time for it.

* * *

 **Chapter 113: Renewed Embraces**

Chikage felt more relaxed than she had in years. Pressure, stress and worry could take some time off as far as she was concerned. She'd seen the boys call Watson back and was glad he wasn't gone. After some more light talk, and some whispered, she squeezed Toichi's hand. "You know, since I didn't want to lose it, or have it give me away recently..." Chikage reached her other hand to a small pocket, using two fingers to draw something out. "Necklaces were too cliché."

Toichi took the ring he had given her all those years ago out of her fingers. His own wedding band had never left his hand. "How could it possibly give you away? You are not the only married woman out there." He moved the ring into his palm before taking her still outstretched hand and kissing it, seamlessly slipping the ring on as he did so even though he didn't have much maneuverability for it. "It would be a shame to remove it because you don't want to be remembered for being spoken for."

"It would have been removed at the hospital and the etching inside may have." Chikage smiled. "You spoke for me long ago and nothing changes that."

Toichi laughed lightly. "I would be rather sad to see you without it, but you're right, nothing would change. I would just have to get you a new one. It is nice to have a matching set."

Chikage smiled and held her hand between them. "The original is better, _although as you look now, you and Kaito side by side in white would make a nice matching set."_

Toichi laughed again. " _I think he has someone else's hair since he had neither of ours but yes, he's grown up... to look very much like me_." He put his fingers and rubbed where he was missing his hair. "I would really like to grow that back."

Chikage smiled. "You're starting now."

Toichi smiled back at her. "If you do not mind being tickled."

"It has it's uses, remember?"

"Not really. I don't have any recollection of me shaving having anything to do with anything. It'll be back as long as we're not in Japan. I still don't want to risk anyone recognizing me. I wasn't exactly low-profile." He took his hand and wove it into her hair, looking into her eyes. "Whatever is to come, I won't let any harm come to any of you further than it has if I can prevent it. It is the only thing that kept me from you all these years."

Chikage smiled and glanced over at the boys only to smile further. _"I think we're embarrassing them."_

Toichi smiled back. " _Isn't that what parents are for?"_

Chikage nodded, liking the sound of that. It had been so long and as much as she knew it wasn't a dream, it still felt a little surreal. Even that morning, this was not something she could have imagined. Speaking of that morning...Ginzo-kun knew, she'd told him about Kid. _"There is so much to catch you up on still, I don't know where to start, or if we should wait until tomorrow."_

" _We can wait until tomorrow. We should not have to take in more than we have at one time. We are human and it is as new for me to here as it is for you to._ " Anything he said to he would not be near what she deserved but he did feel as free as he had while in the states. He had his family with him and his aggressors would not know to touch him. He had to appreciate the hard work it must have been, raising Kaito alone. With his death she had gotten what money he had but his presence would have made all the difference and he knew it. " _You are an amazing woman and you raised Kaito to be an amazing young man. I can't say things would have been the same if you were the one who left me to do as I had done to you. I know such a thing is unforgivable."_

 _"He is so much like you, even to the point of helping strangers. You held a place in his heart anyway."_ She leaned closer to him. _"I'll admit, it was a challenge, but I could never not forgive you."_

" _I believe, if things had been reversed, I wouldn't care of anything but you being beside me once more like you are now._ " Toichi wrapped his arm around her and rested his head against the side of hers. " _I don't know what else to say besides I am sorry for leaving you in such a state. It will be different. You are in danger now and our goal will be to get everyone out of it together."_

Chikage nodded again, already feeling safer but still just as determined to keep her... _their_ boys safe. The sun had dipped below the trees and it was getting darker but the night had never bothered her.

Night was coming and it was getting just a bit colder with the water so close, which Toichi found more relaxing. Tokyo got warmer before the states did but he hadn't cared much about it at the time. It was a whim, a wonder how his family was doing since he had thought they hadn't wanted a thing to do with him. He looked over at the lake, the light of the sky lightening it, though it's depths were still black. He found his eyes half closed and had to rub one. "It's only around eight. Did you bring any snacks? Now would be the time for them." He would go get more himself too. He did not have any right to be taking more from his family.

"Our 'benefactor' knew why were coming out here. He sent us with plenty and they are still in the tent."

Toichi got himself up, moving his hand to her shoulder and clenching it a second before going over to the tent. "I hope you don't mind me rummaging."

Chikage laughed. "Go ahead."

Toichi went to his knees and into the tent. It was roomy enough that they would all fit along with the bags that he had to guess were food. He went over to those, trying to find the one with the snacks. He left with two bags, a box, and a thing of cookies which he tossed over to his son, seeing him catch it easily without needed a warning. He wasn't sure if he had read him right on that, though he did remember him having a really bad sweet tooth when he was little. Toichi had to admit, that was something he and his wife had shared so they hadn't said no to it all that much. He waited until he was across from Saguru-kun to toss him a box of seasoned crackers, going with something more neutral for him since the argument with the ice cream. He sat down, offering his wife a bag of chips, having grabbed the barbeque flavored himself. "For the spirit and not the body."

Kaito looked over at his dad, looking down at the cookies that were in his lap. He hadn't really had any preference why it came to what _kind_ they were. He wouldn't have eaten the dry crackers he had tossed Saguru though. Hey, most people liked cookies, but it still made him smile to himself.

Saguru was surprised, though he accepted the package and took a few of the cinnamon coated graham crackers out. He had not told him anything about his preferences though he could understand his knowledge of Kaito's sweet tooth, all he had to go on for him was the ice cream argument. "Domo arigatou."

Chikage smiled at her husband's words as well as Saguru's and opened the bag. "You always pick up on the littlest things."

"The littlest things are often the most important. It is a terrible fault to insult where you don't mean to. Trust me though, I have not worked my magic on any but you, though I did have a coworker who had rather the opposite intentions while I was in the states. Apparently being married does not mean much to some there. Don't worry though, her advances were unsuccessful and one-sided."

"I can't fault her for her good taste, just very poor judgment."

"How has your circle of interest been?"

"I never looked at another and besides, thanks to Ginzo-kun, no one was able to suggest that Kaito needed a man around, may be why only one tried early on."

" _Early on,_ " Toichi said with a smile under his breath. "I wonder what horrors he received for that."

"Between Ginzo-kun telling him off and Kaito," Chikage chuckled. "A rather public embarrassment by an 8 year old that I know would have made you proud."

"Your little defender," Toichi said with humor as he looked over at his son.

Kaito looked up for a second, eves dropping between the cookies. He blushed and looked away. "It was a long time ago. It's not like I even remember it." He remembered quite a few things about his dad but the stuff after his death, supposed death, was kinda fuzzy.

Saguru looked over at Kaito. He did not doubt for one second that he would have made certain anyone that attempted to get too close to his mother would find themselves on the receiving end of some prank. "So that trait began early in your life."

Chikage nodded and laughed. "I think it was when he found out I'd let him get away with certain things if he made me laugh." She smiled. "It was the first time I did too. I still don't know how he pulled it off at his age either except he had your talent."

There was only one way to take that. Toichi hadn't been sure if his son's interest had just been that, a temporary interest that all children had. It did make him proud that his son had continued on with it. "If he's anywhere as good as I am, I'm sure he'll make one of the best magicians of his age. It is better when you get laughs along with surprise from your audience." He looked at Kaito. "Are you going to make a career of it?"

Kaito's face was still red but he nodded, touching the grass at his side. There was a lot of things he'd have to rethink and plan out now, mostly about what he was doing as Kid. He'd work with that later. "I like magic."

"Like?" Saguru looked over. "Is that why you use it all the time and wanted to teach me as well? I was certain magic was all you did."

Kaito raised an eyebrow. "All I did? You've been with me how long now and a classmate and you think that's all I can do? I just... magic gets me what I want. Nothing else really does and, like I said, it makes me happy."

Saguru smiled slightly. "And on the occasions you use it to save the day rather than prank classmates. Even I admit I am glad you can use it."

"It's malleable. I can use magic for more than just saving your butt or pranks." Kaito nudged his brother and looked over at his dad with a smile. "Maybe you can teach me some of the big stuff and Saguru said he wants to learn too. Maybe _you_ can teach him."

Toichi smiled to his son. "I'd be honored to finish where we left off." He looked over at Saguru-kun after. "As well as honored to teach you whatever else you may want to know. There is not much that I've left to chance over the years."

"While I have seen and figured out a number of tricks, I have never learned anything as far as performing them myself."

"It doesn't have to be tricks. What would you prefer to magic? You're a detective, are you not? I'm betting you've looked into what you could. At there very least," Toichi said with a laugh. "I am a very good cook, having to live alone, though most of what I can make isn't as popular here."

Chikage laughed. "Saguru can cook already so that's not an issue."

Saguru shifted. "I would believe you are as good or better at escapes. While I have looked into it, it is something that I have not succeeded at and that I believe now more than ever would be worthwhile knowing."

Toichi hadn't meant American cooking. The boy was good but, he had to admit, the seasonings of the world opened up many possibilities. He coughed to clear his throat. He would not admit to having had turned to cooking while he was trying to keep himself busy in the states. Magic had been something he'd had to avoid. Cooking and he was a pretty good financial consultant at this point, two things that were a very strange mix but he hadn't had much and both kept his mind and body in shape. He looked back at Saguru-kun and smiled. "I am one of the best escape artists out there. It will be my pleasure to work with you on that. If you'd even wish, and Kaito goes all out with it, it would make you a very good assistant in your free time. I do believe the both of you have bright futures."

Chikage glanced at Saguru and thought she had an idea about why that came to his mind. "He teaches you and you'll be just fine," she said lightly, though the words were true enough.

Toichi looked at his wife. "The danger you were talking about earlier I take it. I could show you some illusionary tricks too that aren't so much surprise as they are deception if you need to free yourself as well as get away, but don't worry so much. If I am going to try my hardest to avoid danger I'll do my utmost to make sure that you do as well."

Saguru nodded. "That does sound as though it would be useful and yes, that is what I was thinking of."

Toichi looked at the hawk. "Would you like to work with him? It's easier to train an assistant animal while your learning yourself."

Saguru looked over at Watson and considered it. Watson was well trained and was valuable though he knew he would be hard pressed to keep him with him at all times. Kiri was already trained and Gladstone... hmmmm. "Learning with Watson would be fine with me though I would not want to limit myself to just him as, while he is trained, I would not have him with me at all times for obvious reasons. While Kiri may be a secondary choice, I think we should introduce you to Gladstone as well."

"Watson? Kiri?" The second name got him ever more. Toichi laughed. "And Gladstone? Well, I can certainly tell who's was who's."

Saguru nodded with a small smile. "Although, Gladstone is very unique." He was not too certain how to 'summon' him so he simply decided that, possibly calling out to him would do it. "Gladstone, come here boy."

It's ears twitched. 'Human'. It could feel him. 'Weird. Not right. Didn't matter. Human needed him.' Its form moved while it disappeared from under the car humans had been taking, gliding over the ground without touching it. Human was close. It stopped, turning its head to the side. Other humans. But it was told to come. Should it show itself? It shook its head. Wait for human to say. Hungry. It was getting hungry.

Saguru waited a moment before calling again. He had not been quick to Kaito though he had already been in front of him at that time. He gave his fingers a quick snap, holding out his hand in case Gladstone was uncertain with the addition to the group.

It twitched it's ears, walking out like the humans, looking around. 'Strange. Humans so strange.' Maybe being with the witch was easier. That human wasn't as hard to understand. It walked by it's new master, one eye staying on it while he used the other to watch the other strange humans around him.

Toichi couldn't help himself tensing at the strange dark creature that came out of the shadows, its footsteps more silent then his own. His worry changed to interest, though guarded, which Saguru-kun treated it like a welcomed friend. That helped a lot of the tension slid back. "You were not kidding. I don't think 'unique' does it justice."

Saguru reached over and rubbed Gladstone's head. The cold was still there but from experience he knew it also calmed him. _"Good boy."_ Saguru nodded at the statement.

It looked back at the human touching it, running its head into the warmth. It was safe. Why did the human call then? It didn't know, it didn't care. This human was too strange to understand. It laid down, pushing into one of the human's limbs as it did, liking the tingling.

"I hope you don't mind but, what is he?"

"He was referred to as a 'shadow beast' and is here to provide some added protection."

"That did not look like special effects. I have to say, I didn't think something like that excised. What is it, in more literal terms? I can see, somewhat, of what it looks like, but is it like an animal?" And Toichi never thought he'd be saying something like that. It wasn't so much out of the ordinary that he couldn't believe some odd creature existed in the world, but it was getting close to it.

Saguru shook his head. "I attempted to rationalize it as well however, he is more shadow and cold than anything else. Anything further, even I am not certain."

"It will be an amazing creature to train with. I'd like to know what it can do It's quiet, but do you know anything about it I should know to help with said training, which we will not be starting until this camping trip is over?"

"He seems, I suppose the word is 'connected', to me. Beyond slight of hand or illusion, he is really based on magic."

"True magic? I wonder how far it extends." Toichi's mind was still trying to reason it out while the other half wanted to see just what it could do.

"I am not entirely certain though he seems to have followed us well enough with no command since we left the house. Stealth obviously and it can be quite vicious."

"I meant," Toichi waved his hand. "More along the lines of tricks it can already do. Unless my thought on the fairytales of magic are wrong, it should have it's own talents just like we have our, don't you think? I do however," he looked at the, what had- Gladstone. He looked at Gladstone neutrally. "If he is viscous it's better not to set him off. Do you know what does?"

Chikage smiled. "That would be trying to take Saguru away from him."

Toichi laughed quietly. "He is his pet. I wouldn't try to take him away from him though it will be hard trying to get him to work along with you and not beside you. We'll come to that when we do. I'm sure he will listen to you."

Saguru nodded. "So long as he can become accustomed to you as a non-threat. I wanted to make certain he would accept you as well."

"Besides my enemies, there aren't many people or creatures that do not get along with me. It's a natural talent." Saguru-kun and Gladstone seemed comfortable together though, so he did not want to interrupt them. He reached over for one of Chikage's chips and at it, simply for the fact that he liked both flavors. He leaned over and kissed her afterwards. "What were you interested in doing tonight before I interrupted?"

"So, before you showed up out of the blue to surprise me again?" Chikage smiled. "I was just going to make sure things everyone could relax out here and enjoy themselves."

"Does that everyone include you?" Toichi asked with a smile as he extended his hand. "Its safe enough out here. You weren't followed and I can vouch for that. Would you like a walk under the moonlight?"

Chikage placed her hand in his with a smile. "When have I ever been able to refuse that type of offer?"

Toichi stood with her, looking at the kids. "For piece of mind, don't go too far. We won't either."

Kaito looked up at his dad, tempted to tackle him again and keep him right here in front of him- not ready to risk that this was a promise he was going to keep. He ended up just stiffly nodding, looking over at the dog thing. Maybe Saguru could make it follow them. They had Watson and Kiri already, though she was still on her own.

Saguru nodded. "Very well. Go right ahead." He had no intention of stopping them from spending time together as they wished. He did see Kaito's reaction and looked down at Gladstone. _"If need be, he can go to them faster than we can. I do not believe it will be a problem."_

Kaito nodded, this time to his brother before he closed his eyes a second. " _It's not like we'd know though, is it?_ " Something did happen to them, or it was his dad's doing, he doubted there'd be noise.

Toichi ignored the whispered conversation between the two boys and step more into the darkness, away from the remnants of the fire. " _Distrustful bunch, all of you._ " He kissed her on the cheek once more when their actions were covered in shadow. " _I'll earn that back from you both, and add on Saguru-kun's while I do."_

"Poor timing. A month ago I doubt it'd be like this, though it would have still just been me and Kaito."

"Yes, well, I think I like it better this way." He let go of her hand and put his arm around her back, his hand resting on her side. "There is perfection in imperfections and things usually work out if you have the right goals in mind."

"Like falling off the Eiffel Tower?" Chikage smiled and slipped her arm around behind him.

"Every detail of that I _did_ have planned, though several of them considering your odd nature. I have to say though, you as just as beautiful as you were that night all those years ago."

Chikage smiled and looked at him from the corner of her eye. "Even to both of us falling for as well as _with_ each other?" She turned her head away slightly. "I might have thought you weren't that good a kisser."

Toichi chuckled to himself. "Yes, well, you might have, though I doubt you did. As for the falling for part, no, that wasn't so planned. I had imagined more of a partnership but I saw the way you worked and you're ideals were along the lines of my own, not to mention that think-later attitude of yours and you're," he put his free hand to his mouth and cleared his throat. "Captivating appearance, there was just no way I could see a life without you by my side."

Chikage brushed her free hand through her hair, pushing it behind her ear. "At least some things never change. You still manage to make me blush."

"Blushing is preferable," Toichi said lightly with a smile, brushing his hand just a little closer to her stomach. "I don't need all the answers but you have some of mine, and I would like some of yours. How did you get this and does it hurt?"

"Not so much now." Chikage said as she put her hand over his. "Sharon had asked us to meet her somewhere since the house was bugged by her and others. Instead, it was a trap to either have Saguru join her and the group she's with or kill him there. She drugged me and I told Kaito to get Saguru away. The entire place was in on it though. I wasn't sure what was happening but Kaito was on the table and she fired several shots. We were both hit."

"How serious are both your injuries today, pain aside?"

"The shots themselves were taken care of and we just needed to go easy for a few days. It's past that time so we're both cleared and luckily Saguru wasn't hit at all." Chikage looked up at him. "He really saved the day."

Toichi moved his hand to rub above where he'd seen the wound. "Does he know that?"

"We told him so. He drove us to the hospital and gave Kaito something that literally saved his life. As much as I heard he used to enjoy the praise, he'd brush things off since… what happened with _him_."

"The person I was not to be compared to?"

"No. Saguru's birth father, Hakuba Damashi. He was a cop but it turned out he was dirty. He had someone try to kill him inside the station then, when Kaito had saved him and the three of us were in the alley after slipping out, he tried to do it himself... almost succeeded."

"The world of inner politics is usually a dark one. I do think you've all had enough murder attempts on you than most politicians though. It seems danger is attracted to what it wishes. Mixing danger with danger, the results are more positive than I would have thought. If Saguru-kun is at all interested in having another father figure beside the one he had, I do not protest, I am, however, not going to force it either. He will be treated just as any other friend of Kaito's would, though that really is no difference at all. Until he gives me some inclination on how he feels about it though, things are fine as they are now. For you and Kaito though, I have much to make up for. I wouldn't even know where to start. I've barely given you explanation as it is."

"I have one question. Why, if you went into that American protection program, couldn't you have taken us? You know I'd have gone with you."

"I know you would have. I would have loved to have taken you but I couldn't. I would rather the ones I love be happy without me than the ones I love be miserable at my side. I know how much of a free spirit you are and Kaito-kun is no different. He was so young at the time too. Putting you and him through something like that when I wasn't sure if it would really protect me from anything seemed a fate worse than my assumed death. I wanted you both happy, not hiding with me where you couldn't make a name for yourself and, even then using a false one, having to learn a new language and having to live a half life yourselves."

Chikage smiled than started chuckling. "That is another thing Kaito has, our talent for languages. He has learned English, more than any classmate except Saguru of course." She quieted and looked at him. "No restraint could make me unhappy with you."

 _"I could not do that to you, or to him_ ," Toichi said more quietly. "We would have been more obvious as a family as well. I had to make sure that not even those helping me knew I had one. My name may have been popular at the time but not many thought I was really who I claimed to be. I suppose I have Kudo-kun and Nakamori to thank for that. At one time I don't think I would have been able to separate myself from you but with how dangerous everything was, I wanted to do nothing more than make sure my wife and young son were safe. As hard to understand as it is that by doing that I would have to leave them, years ago I was very desperate. I'll admit I lied to myself a lot of how both of you would get by without me, if only to calm my mind. If things were to happen now, while it was calm and I could think, I would never choose to go into hiding alone. I simply can't leave you again."

"I wouldn't let you." She smirked. "I don't think Kaito'd let you either. He looked ready to tackle you again when you said we were going for a walk."

Toichi laughed. "Yes, I saw that too. He's got your spirit, I'll say that. I'm sure if I had left you back there instead of him it would be you looking at me with such eyes."

"I might have and I didn't blame him one bit." She tipped her head, still smiling. "He has your flare and stage presence. You should see how easy he makes everything look, even when Saguru was trying to stop him."

"I'll let things come as they will." Toichi took a step in front of her, almost dancing around her. "How physically fit are you?"

Chikage raised her eyebrow. "That had better be in reference to my injuries and not an insinuation that I'm out of shape."

"I wouldn't dream of calling you out of shape." He spun her around some more, only leading and spinning himself as well. He did that, laughing gently and doing what he could to make her dizzy without hurting her. He pulled her to him once he was had succeeded, taking a few uneven steps back himself. " _Let it be known I can always take your breath away_."

Chikage reached her hands up to steady herself against him, putting them on his shoulders as she laughed too, feeling lighter than she had in a long time. Granted, flying with her son had been wonderful but this one thing had made it different and now, she had it back and wanted to feel it fully all over again. _"You owe me a flight next chance we get."_

" _I fly with different wings now_ ," Toichi said smoothly, taking the last step that separated them both from the water. He kissed her as he did, bringing her with him. " _We'll see where the wind takes us."_

Chikage could barely gasp as she felt them tip over. Her eyes widened slightly when she realized what was happening. The water splashed around them as they landed, her on top of Toichi, their lips never breaking apart during the fall.

Toichi came up with her, gasping due to the cold temperature of the water compared to the air, hearing her gasping and laughing as well. He held her hand, getting caught in some of the weeds around the edge of the pond and spinning her with him, only in the water now. He pushed some of her short hair behind her ear so he could see her better.

Chikage couldn't stop smiling. When he moved her hair she moved closer, still moving in circles, and put a hand on his shoulder. For weeks after it had happened, she had dreamed something like this - him just coming to her again, alive, only for it to end. She knew this one was real but that didn't change that she wanted to savor it. Looking at him, touching him, hearing him.

"It's surreal for both of us, isn't it? I never thought I would see you again either. It made it all the harder, knowing you were here, that I could come to you. I suppose I succumbed to that want."

"I'm glad you did. Stars aligned to bring us back together I guess. I never thought I'd taken it for granted before that night but sometimes, afterward, I did. Now, I'm going to enjoy ever second I have you." She smirked and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling them closer.

Toichi breathed out, smiling at her face, the only thing he could see. He continued her movement, kissing her once more. His arms wrapped around her, mostly under the water, and the one that came up was not shaking with cold. He put it on her shoulder, the movement stopping. He would not ignore a moment with her either.

...

Kaito looked up at the noise, having been playing with Watson, trying to regain his trust. It was something to do at least. He'd lost any good visual on his parents a while ago and Saguru seemed fine messing with the dog thing. Kaito, being bored, even started trying to teach him like how Saguru wanted him taught, breaking bombs so they weren't actually set off and getting him used to their scent before throwing one into the forest so the bird could see what they did. Of course though, the loud footsteps drew him away from that and he looked up at his mom and dad as they drew in closer. "What happened?" He asked curiously with a tip of his head. "The lake eat you?"

Toichi chuckled lightly at Kaito's commentary. "Ate and spit back out. Your mother was just too sweet."

"And he was too savory." Chikage added with a smile.

Kaito looked away from his parents. "Keep that stuff to yourself."

Saguru had also looked over at their approach and had seen how wet they were. Three of them had changes of clothes however those would have to dry during the next day unless they strung the garments over the remaining embers of the fire. At their words and Kaito's reaction he shook his head but their mother responded before he could.

"Oh, like you and Aoko-chan don't think the same about each other."

"Hey, I didn't parade it around in front of _you_ ," Kaito defended. And he hadn't... just his brother. "Besides, hearing your parents tell you how delicious the other is just makes me nauseous."

Chikage smiled, hearing the emphasis and seeing Saguru look over at Kaito and shake his head. _"May as well see if anything we have fits you. We stay standing like this too long Saguru will be telling us to."_

 _"Saguru-kun does not look all that taller than I am. I'm sure if it is button down it'll fit me. As long as he doesn't mind"_

Saguru tipped his head, running some comparisons in his head and stood. "You should both change though, it may be better if neither of you go in the tent with how wet you both are." He looked from their mother to the man beside her. "As the closest to you is likely me, if you are not opposed, you may borrow some of my clothes."

"I was thinking the same thing. I'd like to change into my own clothes in the morning, if I leave them out, so I'll only need to borrow yours tonight."

Saguru nodded and went over to the tent, ducking in and kneeling to sort through his bag, pulling out a set of clothes and grabbing their mother's bag so she could pick for herself. He turned and climbed out, holding them out.

Toichi took the offered clothes. "Thank you. I'm not sure if you planned by the day or not. I'm sure there's a cleaner somewhere." He didn't want to get them wet as well so he didn't hold them to himself and he didn't want to get Saguru-kun wet either, though when he retrieved them he put a hand on the boy's shoulder and whispered to him. " _Come with me_."

Saguru glanced back but, confident that Watson and Gladstone were with the other two, turned to him and nodded.

Toichi walked with him to the shadows on the other side of the tent so that neither the boy he was with nor the other could see him change. The vest he had on was the first to go since it was heavy with water. He unbuttoned his shirt as well, wanting to be dressed but comfortable. "I've been hearing quite the bit about you. You're a very interesting young man. While I haven't spent much time with you, there's always tomorrow and I do want to get to know you the natural way. I want to, right now, thank you for being the hero you are and saving Chikage and Kaito. I wasn't here but they did have a family member who was and able to look after them."

There was one instance that he had done that for both. "It is how family _should_ act. They had both done the same for me, more than once, and it was for me that they were there in the first place." Saguru looked over at where they had come from. "I would be the one dead if not for Kaito, and that was even before he decided to make me a part of the family."

"Because it is not family that we give our lives for and it is not family that we should give our lives for. It is a natural human reaction in some to protect those we feel need it, not through bonds but through simple, honorary commitments of our own." Saguru-kun had to change his clothes in any case so a little dampness would not hurt. He held his arms half out to him in the gesture welcoming an embarrass without forcing it. "I can't say I'll die for you if it will leave others in danger and dead as well, but I can say I am fully up to the act of still raising you and Kaito as a family for however many years to come that we have together. You've acted much more than any one person should be asked for the sake of those close to them, as have they, and I am planning to make sure things change since it seems you've spent little time on actually doing things you love as opposed to things that are needed for defensive purposes against the world. Family, as well as friends, are meant to relieve such a burden so that all can do what they enjoy."

Saguru looked at him for what felt like either a second or an hour. Nakamori-ojisan had been the first adult male in a long time, and the only that he was that close to that he still knew he trusted. He felt himself move forward before he realized it and took a deep breath that sounded to him as though it shook slightly. He had hugged their mother several times and Kaito had hugged his father, tackled really, so he reminded himself that, just as Nakamori-ojisan said, it was what families did.

Toichi hugged the boy as he would his son once he had Kaito standing. It felt rather one-sided when he'd gotten him earlier. He wondered just how possible something was before his adrenaline of the thought took over and he moved his arms from around the teenager to under his arms, using what power he had to take a step around, raising the teen in the air the height his arms stretched out before putting him back down with his arms going back around him, patting in the back before letting him go. "Just remember, you make life what you want and nothing less."

Saguru had been, to say the least, taken by surprise by the action. He had tensed slightly when felt himself lifted into the air and then the fleeting weightlessness and subsequent embrace had actually left him rather relaxed. He nodded and while he was uncertain about it still, he felt that Kaito had been right when he had said that his father was theirs, even when they had thought he would never meet him.

Toichi smiled at the lighter mood Saguru was in, in a lighter one himself. He finished unbuttoning his shirt. "You should get your own night clothes on. You may smell like seaweed if you keep wearing those."

Saguru smiled and shook his head. "This is fresh water so any smell from it, it is not seaweed."

"Smart aleck, just what this family needs," Toichi said with a chuckle, removing his shirt. "You either get dressed yourself or watch me dress."

Saguru turned to head back. "I will, though rest assured, if you disappear again, you will be found a great deal faster," he called over his shoulder.

Toichi couldn't help laughing to himself even if there was no one to hear it. There couldn't have been a more perfect person he could see to make this family any better than it was if he tired. He put on the boy's clothes, finding them just the tinniest bit too small for him but that wasn't too bad. It just meant he couldn't hunch over all the way and the pants came an inch up that they shouldn't. Of course, Chikage would not have changed in front of Kaito unless they had become a lot more open than he had assumed, so he peeked around, trying to see where the others had scattered off to.

Kaito looked up at his dad, relaxing again. He'd have to get over those nerves. He called Watson off to one of the branches since it seemed they were going to bed. He liked him but there was no way he was sleeping in a fragile tent with the hawk.

Chikage came over from a nearby group of trees in one of her nightgowns and saw Saguru slip into the tent after Watson settled in an overhead limb. She waited with her bag, remembering how self conscious he had been before.

Toichi saw Chikage emerge and went over to her, slipping his hand around her again. He would stop acting like a lovesick child once he became used to coming back to her each time. " _I remember a time when you would walk in on us even if one of us were naked,"_ he whispered before kissing her on the cheek while Kaito was around.

Chikage smiled and wrapped one hand back around him. _"He barely changed even with my back to him yesterday. I'd give him some time to get use to it but by then he may be too old. You, on the other hand..."_

" _I on the other hand am already changed,_ " he said after kissing her again. " _So there will be no free looks tonight._ "

She smiled and leaned against him. She could wait.


	3. Sweat Dreams

**Chapter 114: Sweat Dreams**

Kaito shook off some of the cramps of sitting down too long as he got up, not wanting to get too closer to them when they were being all lovey-dovey again. His mom was- well, she should get her time with him so he'd bother him for the same later. He went over to the tent where Saguru had disappeared, knocking and making it shake more that it made any noise. " _Little pig, little pig, let me in_ ," he spoke jokingly near the hole where the zipper ended.

Saguru rolled his eyes. "If I say 'no' you are going to finish that so I may as well, provided you can use the zipper."

Kaito smiled and did just that, dunking in with his brother. Of course, since it would have made matters funny if he wasn't, Saguru already had shorts over his underwear. "Tsh. It's like you don't want me to see what funny cartoon characters you wear over you butt. Anyway," that brought up something strange and he looked at Saguru then back at the opening. "It's hot. Why the heck did you give dad pants but you're wearing shorts? That's kind of mean you know."

"Those happened to be the only elastic waist and I was not sure if he would fit in any other."

"Tsh. Oh yeah, like shorts aren't elastic. Anyway," Kaito went and laid down on the tent floor for a second where he was after he'd finished closing the door, smiling and looking sideways at Saguru. _"I know it shouldn't mean much considering the circumstances but look, we have a normal family- well, structure-wise. I think I like that_."

Saguru was tempted to point out that all shorts were not, in fact, elastic but he had already changed the topic. He nodded and returned the smile. _"I could tell by your reaction when he confirmed who he was."_

Kaito reached out his hand toward his brother but stayed on his back. "Doesn't that sound nice to you too? I mean, we both have a dad and two awesome moms. Who could want more?"

"Are you sure you are alright? I was under the impression that beyond you and our mom, your other 'near-parent' was Nakamori-ojisan and that would be a father. How do you figure on two mothers?"

"Who's got the memory problems now, huh? I said my dad was your dad, and that your mom was my mom." He laughed a little. "Well, I meant it, we both just have two of them now."

Saguru blinked and pulled the shirt he was still holding over his head. _"At least you have your full family."_

"Huh?" That was weird. Kaito had expected... well it wasn't that. Then he had to drop whatever he was wondering and laugh. "Kami, you look like a little kid hiding from their mommy."

Saguru straightened his shirt once it was on and shook his head. "So I can not change as fast as you can, I was not hiding and... _it is nice to have a full family."_

"You don't sound too happy." Saguru hadn't taken his hand so he took it back, sighing and looking at the ceiling before closing his eyes. " _I don't know what else to do to make you happy, none of it ever really works and, if it does, it's not for long. Just tell me what you want. I'll do my best to get it."_

Saguru shook his head. _"I have tried at both and you already know them."_

So that would probably be the girlfriend thing and the... either dad or mom thing and he was pretty sure Saguru at least thought that their mom was, well, their mom. His mind had too much fun running this or that through his head. He had a sudden and, so far, unwavering plan for one of them. That would have to wait- though not long. "Fine, I'll work on both. Trying isn't succeeding."

Saguru nodded. He wanted to solve his mother's death still, hit and run or, with the way things had gone, possibly not, though that could be focused on when they traveled to London and maybe a famous thief could ask where officers and detectives could not. He did want to find out what had happened to Bayaa before leaving, just know if she was safe or if, again, with the circumstances, she was no longer alive. "Seeing as going alone has not worked, any help you can offer would be accepted."

Okay, well, Kaito knew he missed something there. Going it alone wasn't something he had done in either case. Hm. Either way his brother wasn't happy right now, and that was what this trip was for. He'd wait until he was asleep. "What can I do right now to make you happy?" Just for a little insight. He already had his own ideas.

Saguru was not sure where that had come from. As neither could be dealt with now he supposed Kaito was thinking along the lines of something else. "Whatever you have in mind, I think it can wait until morning. This day has had its share of emotional stress, despite the lack of near death experiences."

"It wasn't emotional stress, it was losing that emotional stress," Kaito said with a smile. "I'm hoping it can help you too. I didn't think we'd get dad back, so I was happy with Nakamori-ojisan, but if you actually like dad that would be great. I mean like a person and not that 'have to' of a family."

"His return was a part of it and yes, he is quite the person. I can understand where you get your mischievous side from and it is not entirely from our mother's side." Saguru shifted a bit to move his sleeping bag closer to the side of the tent so the other three would have room. "I was also referring to Nakamori-ojisan and Suzuki-san finding out your secret, and hence, both knowing about Kid, past and present."

"Yeah well, that I still have to work with how I'm feeling, but not until we're back there. I _really_ should do what I came in here to do and get ready for bed myself." Kaito took his clothes of, doing what he did at Suzuki-ojisan's and just leaving his boxers on. He sat in the middle of the tent and grinned at his brother when he was done. "There. That was easy. You guys are gonna be so hot."

Saguru shook his head and laid down in the sleeping bag. "You go ahead but I am not that hot and I doubt I will be."

"Heh. Who's the little kid now? A lot of people sleep in their boxers." He laid back down, next to his brother though. "Like being stuck with me? Because _I_ also sleep in them when its hot _everyday_."

"I guess I can make certain the air conditioning is up higher in your room so you can be comfortable."

"Tsh. I'm the sneaky one. Let's see how far you get." Kaito relaxed. As nice as it was having his dad back, and he really could only think of a few things that made him that happy, he realized he knew more about Saguru than he did him... and he was more worried about his brother than their dad. That was something he never thought was possible, if he'd ever dreamed like something like this ever happening. Kaito turned on his side, looking at Saguru. " _Funny. You're my brother and still my greatest rival_." He grinned. " _I wouldn't have it any other way."_

Saguru turned his head toward Kaito and nodded. _"It is an odd way for it to work out though I will admit, you tend to get most things to go your way, no matter how improbable it is suppose to be."_

"Look in the mirror," Kaito said with a quiet laugh. "Tell me you haven't too."

Saguru gave a weak chuckle. "Befriending Kid instead of capturing him may be a mutual one though I have a ways to go to match what the two, or three of you have accomplished."

"Nah. You're as close as any other living being is going to get." Kaito let out a breath. "And you did more than befriend me. You're also one of the most annoying people I know that can actually get under my skin. Trust me, you're as one-of-a-kind as I am, in all the same good ways."

"I was referring to you and the two people outside this tent."

"Ah, I know. And I was referring to you trying to compare yourself to someone else. It's stupid and pointless and just puts you in circles. Admiration is a little different." He raised an eyebrow with a smile. "Are you saying you admire me?"

Saguru fought to not look away. "You abilities are... impressive. I would never deny that."

Kaito laughed. "You know, if you're going to say it like that you may as well just say yes. If it makes you feel better, you're pretty admirable yourself, even if you are an annoying pessimist."

"I am not the only one. Besides, Kid is known for the number of people that admire him."

"Yeah well, the reverse works even better. Not many people can say they're admired _by_ Kid."

Saguru was about to respond but turned his head away with a yawn.

Kaito poked at his brother. "Not wondering why? I mean, besides you saving my life every now and then and the whole saving little kids and all."

 _"I would ask, considering you are the only criminal that does, but I know you are not a typical criminal either."_

"Hey _retired_ criminal. I'm a _vigilante_ now. Get it right," Kaito joked, sticking his tongue out. " _I don't know how much that's going to change with dad here but I don't plan on budging. As for why, I mean, it sounds awful and all but you lost you're mom, like recently. If that had been dad now…_ " he shook his head. " _I probably would have fallen apart. And putting up with that ass was nothing less than saint-like_." He didn't care if Saguru was willing to take his hand, Kaito took his anyway. " _You worked to do what you wanted and put up with all that. You're a real amazing person_."

Saguru closed his eyes. How was it that the simple contact seemed to make it feel like he could or should continue on the topic, as much as it made him feel sick _? "I took him almost at his word and pushed everyone around me away. By believing him, even as much as I did, I let my guard down only around him and that nearly cost me, and then the three of us, our lives."_

" _You never pushed Aoko or I away._ That _was you, and you're not a product of him, 'kay? If you were you wouldn't be a detective, now would you? No matter what mistakes happen, friends are there to bail you out, so don't worry about that second part."_

That was true of Bayaa too, though she had been close to him for years and they had both done anything for each other. _"Perhaps that should have clued me in from the start."_

" _What? You know, even though I may act it, I can't really read your mind. In fact, yours is the hardest to read_."

 _"That I had not pushed either of you away despite it being the_ recommendation _. I never understood it personally. It still seems slightly strange."_ Saguru finally looked back over at Kaito. _"I still am not used to it, nor can I admit to liking doing it and yet you have increasingly made me share things with you that I never did or would have._ _"_

Kaito gave him puppy dog eyes. " _You don't like talking to me?"_

 _"I am."_ Saguru pointed out. _"Though there was always a difference between the information I usually share and this."_

" _Yes but do you like this?"_

Saguru paused before exhaling quietly and squeezing his hand lightly. _"As much as it has taken me by surprise and I will acknowledge that it feels awkward, yes."_

" _Tell me the day it doesn't feel awkward."_ Kaito winked at him. " _That will be my greatest and most prized accomplishment and we can even have a party_."

Saguru shook his head with a small huff. _"I do not doubt that you_ would _throw a party for that."_

"Oh right." Kaito got up, trying to find a lighter in one of his pockets. "Give me that picture back a second."

"How did you know- never mind." Saguru reached up into the bag at his head and withdrew the picture from it.

Kaito frowned. "I like, _just_ gave it to you. If you lost it already I'd be worried about your mental health." He took it and climbed over his brother, setting it next to him. He found that lighter, taking it out and going for one of the bags before finding a metal case and opening it, taking one out for himself and placing the case next to the picture. Kaito lit the stick of incense in his hand and moved it around the picture, purifying the area and putting his hands together, eyes closed for a second, sending a prayer. "Night mom." Kaito handed the stick over with a smile. "This is how you do it too, right? Here, say goodnight."

Saguru had half sat up and could only stare at what his brother was doing. He had only done it in the short time between his return to Japan following her death and the removal of anything that had to do with her by _him_ , and when he had slipped away to it the weekend they had stayed at Inoue Nishio's house. He reached for the offered incense, his breath catching and his chest felt rather tight, not from the scent but from Kaito's actions and words.

Kaito smiled a little bit more when he felt Saguru's fingers shake against his before he took the incense stick. Kaito fell quiet, closing his eyes again so he could talk again to himself, not sure if her spirit could hear him. He also wanted to give his brother some privacy. He was NOT going to leave though. It was _their_ mother, like he had said. He'd just have to start getting to know more about her.

Saguru moved it around, feeling oddly disconnected, more so than he had in the past, perhaps because, aside from the one time at the house, any time he had done this were alone and dry-eyed so no one knew. Now, that no longer mattered. _'I am not sure what you are thinking now, mother, but I am going to make you as proud of me as my new parents are of their son and you should be of him. I-..._ we _will figure out what happened that day and find the one that did it.'_ _ **"Good night, mother."**_

Kaito could hear his brother crying. He kept his eyes closed and let him have his space. He'd felt that pain for ten years himself and was no stranger to it. It had taken a long time before he could do anything like a prayer service. It didn't matter if his dad was alive, for all accounts he had been dead the last ten years and that experience with those emotions didn't fade for lack of it. If his brother needed him, he was there. That he could turn to him if he needed and the fact that Saguru was likely as repressed as he seemed and was now getting it out was the best thing. _Well, new mom, I promise to take care of him, so you don't have to worry anymore._

 _ **"Ironic. She loved the color white because of its purity and neutrality. I am glad you were not abusing it as I originally thought."**_

Huh? That sounded like he was talking to him so Kaito opened his eyes in time to see his brother grab him as if the world were ending. He could feel some of his tears on his shoulder when he did and, after being surprised for all of a second, Kaito hugged him back. " _Hey, since dad is back, I'll make it be for her then. I'm sure he wouldn't mind. You're the one who changed me, on purpose or not. We can get you something white too. No one would care now._ " Kaito moved his hand up to his brother's shoulder. " _And you know she'd be proud of you already, no matter what you wear. I'm sure most of her worry has been for that and not what I've been doing, so keep being you. I bet you've already made her more proud than she could ask for. You're a great detective and even I can see how much you care about her_."

 _ **"I was not even able to help her when it happened and even after I could not solve it. Until then, you had been the only criminal that eluded me."**_ Saguru swallowed, or tried to. _**"Leaving that diner, I felt like I was about to go through that again, with both of you."**_

" _Life scares us like that. Don't you think I felt the same about you, especially after the guy told me you were dead? That I'd killed you?"_ Kaito tried to ease some of that same tension he felt, dealt with already, from his brother. " _I'm here and you're here and I'd rather in a million years us both be here and mom and whoever too and get the hell scared out of us every time before playing with the idea that one of us would die. As for your mom, you didn't do nothing. I bet you were there for her every second you could be. It wasn't as if either of you knew it was going to happen. She would never blame you so don't you dare blame yourself."_

Saguru was feeling like he could not move but shook his head slightly. _**"I was told she likely died on impact or soon after. I was-"**_

" _Not able to do anything but be there, even when she died. Stop worrying about that. You know her. She loved you as much as you loved her. She has to be one of the happiest mothers out there. That could have killed you both. I can't think of anyone happier than a mother who had no chance, seeing her son walk away from something so bad and live. You didn't let her down, you amazed her and are still doing it."_

 _ **"...I did not. I woke briefly right after the impact and saw someone leave the other car when I reached for her when things when dark again. I did not wake to walk away, I woke in the hospital the next day."**_ He leaned a bit more heavily against him.

" _And alive. And the last thing she heard and the last person she was with was you. That means so much more than you seem to think. Even if she didn't see it with her eyes, I know somehow she knows you made it. Don't blame yourself. Live to make her proud, not to make up for something she would never blame you for. Don't you see that? She'd want you to be happy not hiding and stacking up all these doubts and fears. Life's too short."_

 _ **"I could not... a-a-afford doubts."**_ He smiled a bit. _**"Though, you will say I can now."**_

" _You can now and forever after_." Kaito could hear the exhaustion in his brother's voice, his arms slack. " _Come on. Our moms would hate it if we slept sitting up._ " He moved as much as he could, moving Saguru back the way he had come. " _Just, you know, don't think sad things like you weren't able to do anything for her_." Once he was more or less laying down by the picture, Kaito didn't let go. Dad wouldn't be going anywhere, not with mom having say if he tried. He'd have tomorrow and forever for that himself. He moved his hands to brush some of the tears his brother was still crying " _We're here to make our ancestors and, mostly, ourselves proud of what we do. Be proud you were there- be proud you lived, don't be burdened by it ever again. I wouldn't be here if you had. Think that if you have to_."

Saguru nodded. There were also the number of criminals that would have gone free otherwise and Kaito was right, even barring the recent attempts, there was no way he would have survived to this point. That would likely have left their mother alone unless the news was big enough to reach her husband. _**"Count the living, not the dead."**_ He took a shaky breath, his eyes no longer opening, but he smiled, just in the event Kaito could make it out. _"Good night, brother."_

 _"Back at you_ ," Kaito said in a whisper, smiling even as his brother's words were still on the macabre side. He'd be fixing that up and it was better than they were at before. The rest... was at least a step up. That had worn him out too as Kaito had gotten close to the old pain he used to feel, his words still as true spoken aloud as they had been back when he decided that that is what should be done. He closed his eyes, knowing this time he would be the one up first and he wasn't planning on moving, so staying half huddled was fine, though Kaito grabbed part of a sleeping bag, putting it over their midsections more for the feel of comfort than anything else since it was way too freaking hot. His eyes closed on their own, his body sensitive to his brother's emotions even as he drifted off.

…

Toichi kept close to his wife while their son disappeared with the second. He no longer had to hid his affection and so kissed her as passionately as he dared with the teens so close. " _I come back and everything is the same and so much is different except for love. I suppose sometimes love can be as steadfast as steal. While there's so much I want to say to you too, there is nothing besides that I feel the need to say aloud. How silly_."

 _"Actions instead of words is not silly, since I love having you back more than words could express anyway."_ Chikage looked up at him and smiled. Knowing the boys, they'd be up talking or doing something until one or the other fell asleep. She was sure neither would be coming back out.

" _And what actions can make up for my choices, as well intended as they were or not? Nothing in the short term, I'm aware of that."_ Toichi brushed his fingers across her cheek and smiled. " _Unfortunately my magical touch is gone for the time being. I can't amaze you as I used to and, even if I could, you've seen through many of my tricks at this point._ " He moved it to brush her hair back, going back to her face after and streaking a rainbow-like sequence down her cheek like paintbrush strokes. " _I've always loved those voracious eyes of yours. The seem to see through so much where it really matters, and so little where it doesn't_."

 _"Being here, staying here, for the boys and for me,"_ Chikage moved her face against his hand without taking her eyes off his. _"It still seems like a miracle, just holding you again."_

" _For you and I both. I had settled on never seeing you again. Yet here you are and here I am, against all common sense, even behind the eyes of the government, as I was told not to see any old acquaintances. It will be like this for many years to come, we do need to speak though_."

 _"I know."_ Chikage sighed and tightened her arms around him. _"We can just take turns answering questions or telling a story. As much as I want to know what happened, I think we need to catch up on current and fill in the past from there."_

" _I agree, current situation first. I'm safe myself, no injuries at the moment to attest to and no dangers stalking me like shadows as yours seem to be doing._ " He kissed her teasingly on the nose. " _For the past ten years I have been safe while you apparently haven't._ "

 _"Kaito got in your old room somehow and while there were some close calls with 'Kid' the biggest danger, targeting us personally, has only been in the last month or so. Saguru may even feel some guilt about that because this group Sharon's with only started going for him because of Hakuba-san and Sharon came to us at the same time."_ She smiled up at him. _"You did save Kaito and me and a bunch of innocent people, thanks to those escape routes you put under the stage in certain hotels."_

Toichi smiled back at her. _"I was on the lookout myself at the time and escape routes through the side of the building aren't always accessible. It wasn't as if I forced them. I'm glad something I left behind helped instead of hurt you though. As for the rest, why go after Saguru-kun?"_

Chikage's hand curled slightly against the shirt he was wearing. _"His..."_ She muttered something that she'd never say around either of the boys no matter how old they were. _"Was a part of them or worked for or with them anyway. Even though Saguru knew nothing of it, they planned to kill him anyway, 'just in case'. The house was destroyed and the police station he worked at blown up too. Of course, with everything that's happened, he knows more than he would have if they had just left it alone."_

" _That puts him in more danger than not then, doesn't it?"_ Toichi looked around, only for the view. " _You said our ho-_ " he cleared his throat _. "The house was bugged, so is that why you've decided to go from here to across the country?"_

Chikage nodded. _"England has a special place for him. His birth mother was British so we are going to stay at, well, his house there."_ She was not too sure, with how long it took him to tell them about his foreign lineage, if she should share what to expect.

" _It has been some time since we've been to Europe, unless you've gone again without me. It sounds like a nice trip. I only have to wonder what would happen when we came back_." Toichi stopped his mussing with her cheek and slide her hand down to her neck and to where her collarbone was showing as he looking into those memorizing eyes. " _As silly as running away sounds, I don't wish us to be a death statistic. We can always go to America or stay in England. We can live our life there. Staying here, under watch, is no way to fight those after you. But of course, this is you I'm talking to_ ," Toichi said with a smile and exhaled breath. _"When have you ever listened to reason?_ "

 _"Shinichi-kun and a few others are dealing with them and aren't in their sights quite the way we are. I doubt Saguru will ask us to stay away from here either and with our talents, visiting won't be that hard."_ She moved her head to place a light kiss on the palm of the hand on her neck. _"Even so, I'm sure his place will be more than enough for all of us."_

" _If we are staying in the long term, and he is willing, why not make it our house, and not just somewhere we're safe?_ " He moved, placing his lips against hers instead of having her kiss his hand. " _It will be nice, to have a family with you again, to do magic again and teach it to our children. When he must too, going in disguise with you or I or Kaito to Japan again is always a possibility, unless he feels strongly enough about living here instead of not. We'll leave the decisions to the new generation. I do want a home for you and I though, and I am not through with this family idea. I've been missing it for too long_." He kissed her again a few times, not willing to stop until she stopped responding first.

Chikage moved her arms over his shoulders. Saguru wouldn't mind, she knew and from Kaito's reaction, the house, or at least the yard indicated that the house was large enough. Those legalities could be dealt with later.

Toichi brushed his hand through her hair while his right continued to trace her outline, moving down her arm before he stopped and broke away over his vow to only stop after she did. " _As enchanting as you and the night are, I think this is going far into our reunion. We have changed over the years but, at the same time, this feels like one of those nights where neither of us had commitments of our own and we were just sitting in the starlight."_

 _"All the years I hoped for just one more night like those, like this. I guess knowing it's not the only one I'll have..."_ She smiled up at him. _"I guess like good parents, we should check on the kids."_

 _"And it could be said I haven't been a very good parent_." Toichi kissed her on cheek, smiling as she smiled as well. " _Maybe I can keep that title until daybreak_."

 _"Considering how early Saguru tends to wake when he's not hurt, you'd better be able to sleep despite it."_

 _"I wouldn't dream of sleeping past our second son waking. I will be the good father in the morning."_ Toichi kissed her again. " _For tonight I think I prefer being the good husband and reacquainting myself with my wife. You've told me so much of them and so little of yourself. You're all jewels and, as much as I care what they've been doing, I do want to feel I know my partner beside me as good as I had back when we were first married."_

 _"Kaito has been so much of my life, Aoko-chan a close second when Ginzo-kun needed help. Most of what I am was caring for them and since Kaito put on your cape, doing what I could to find something that was found. Knowing it didn't matter is a bit reminiscent of our meeting, initially upset but having a silver lining."_

" _You living your life for someone, even our son, isn't shocking though it is very sad. We are parents, not servants. We are here to help and protect, not hover._ " She had changed more than he realized and he had not. Ten years of parenting alone was likely the result and he was sorry for not experiencing that with her. She felt in some ways far away from that fiery spirited woman he had courted along with disaster. "How old is Kaito now, almost eighteen? England should be safe enough and he will have Saguru-kun. You and I, let's go see Europe once more."

 _"I'd love that."_ She smiled wider as a thought came that she'd never thought she'd follow through with. _"While I have done some traveling since Kaito got older, I never did revisit Paris. It wouldn't feel right without you. And yes, in fact, both will be 18 soon since Saguru's birthday is in August."_

" _As long as both have a house and food I see no reason why we can't have some time to ourselves. For now I suppose that this is fine_." Toichi moved from in front of her to her side and wrapped his arm around her. " _Why not sleep under the star tonight? I'm a little surprised you had something without a view to begin with."_

Chikage smiled and started chuckling. _"Saguru had never 'camped out' before and having him sleep in a tent instead of a cabin was what came of it. We actually had the sleeping bags on the balcony of the house we were staying at last night. He was more than a bit self conscious when Kaito told him to just change there instead of going to a room."_

Toichi laughed quietly along with her. " _As most would be. He does seem to have an odd sense of pride, and in strange places where he lacks it in others. Not to sound cruel about it but his upbringing shows it. If the tent so happens to disappear before tomorrow night, I wonder what will happen."_

Chikage joined him laughing. _"That expression is one I would like to see. He did have a mixture of formal and, I don't know what to call the other half, but getting him to be able to relax even a little has been a challenge."_ She eyed him with a smirk. _"One that I wonder if you're up to?"_

" _I think my job is to help you along first. He will come along as he does or I'm sure Kaito-kun will help him along. You have been neglecting yourself for too long but I do think we will all enjoy a night out like we are now come tomorrow. A hike around to explore the camping grounds would be ideal timing."_

 _"Sounds perfect. So, which of us is swiping a sleeping bag from the tent?"_

" _Do we really need one_?" Toichi asked teasingly. " _You've had some luxury huh? I remember a woman who would have slept anywhere, as long there was food. I can keep you warm. I've slept on worse."_

 _"I just wanted to see if you were up to it. You'd use any excuse to pull something, or just do it when there was none at all."_ She leaned close and admitted. _"With what's happened, if we just leave it, they'd worry when they first wake up. If it's gone, they know it was us."_

Toichi had something else in mind, though he could grab it while he was at it. " _Very well, I'll do things your way_." He disentangled his arm from her, sharing a kiss once before he stood and went over to grab one of the unburned sticks, calling the bird as he had been told and having the hawk come to him, even in the dark. " _You shouldn't be out at night as a pet. I'm sure it was unintentional._ " Hawks that were wild and ones that were trained walked a fine line but being used to sleeping indoor and in a cage would excite the bird and it could get sick. He went over to the tent, peeking in and seeing the boys had fallen asleep. That was strange considering Kaito had slept on him but he was taking Chikage's word to heart at the dangers than had been through. He put stick down, taking one of the sleeping bags as silently as he could and making a nest with the other since there was nowhere for him to roost. He exited just as quietly, smiling and throwing the sleeping bag to Chikage once he was out. "You pick where."

Chikage caught it easily and tipped her head toward the shoreline. _"Clear night and no chance of rain so as far from the tree line as possible without getting wet again."_

Toichi sat beside her, her face accentuated by the moonlight falling on it as she looked at the heavens. He laid beside her, putting his arm around her. " _How vast the universe is and still, something as simple as love survives it all."_

She smiled and placed her hand over his. _"A simple jewel case can hold a great gem, with room for more."_ She added, turning her face toward him.

" _More and more and more. Our family is like the heavens, our spirit never dies, it is just reborn, and we will shine on even long past our time here._ " Toichi rested his head back, looking straight up. " _For now though, I am a new star and you are the great moon, outshining my brilliance and with good cause. The woman who holds me enthralled could be nothing short of the most spectacular lady anyone could ever hope to meet. Together our glow can reach even the farthest corners of the earth if we wished, and we shall."_

 _"Mmmm."_ Chikage smiled and glanced up at the expansive sky. _"I think with all of us, we will put the sun to shame."_

" _No, we shall compliment along side it without being seen_." Toichi kissed her on the cheek but he could feel the sands of dreams falling over him. He hadn't had sleep since two days before when he knew he was going to leave, as well as the one night in Japan that he had stayed here. " _Forgive me, but I think the universe is calling me to its blackness. Promise me the sun with you tomorrow before it takes me. The boy's will be just fine for at least a few hours."_

 _"That and more."_ She leaned over and returned his kiss with her own before nuzzling her head against his shoulder.

Toichi held her closer, his eyes closing. He couldn't stay away anymore and his fears had been appeased. " _To sleep then yourself. Don't stay up tonight while I'm not_." His smile turned up to a smirk. " _It is highly unfair otherwise_."


	4. A Place at the Table

**Chapter 115: A Place at the Table**

Kaito fidgeted, his arm asleep. He didn't hear any noises but the small ones from outside, his brother still asleep across from him. Kaito looked him over, seeing no dreams marking their presence on his features. He relaxed back, tempted to move his arm to get the feeling back but not daring it with his brother being such a light sleeper. He closed his eyes, mostly so his brother wouldn't feel he was being watched, and went into sleep limbo where he wasn't really awake and wasn't really asleep. He made a promise and he wasn't going to wake him after last night.

Toichi had only eyes for her right now. He knew what she was looking at without having to move in any case. "Speaking of which, shouldn't one of them be waking any second?" he guessed at with a small laugh. "Well then, before they can." He leaned over all the way, his hand moving to her face once more and kissed her as if he would lose her in the next few seconds. He wasn't one for holding things in but he wasn't going to go a day without showing her just how much he was still in love with her while masking the harsher accepts of it from both of his more timid sons.

...

Kaito felt when his brother stirred. Opening his eyes a crack he could see the light on the other side of the tent, setting the inside a darker blue. Once he was sure he was more awake and alert to it, specifically when Saguru's eyes opened, Kaito took his other arm and hugged him, feeling the tension there before he relaxed. " _Hope you're feeling better. Today, maybe lets settle on trying to have some of that fun I was talking about_."

Saguru gave a small huff and smiled slightly, reaching up and returning the hug. _"I am. Was I using English last night?"_

" **You were,** " Kaito said with a smile, trying to match Saguru's voice pattern. He talked a little different than he was use to but not all that off. " **Why does it matter? We can talk in English if you want** _ **.**_ "

Saguru groaned, having seen that they were they only ones in the tent so they would not have to avoid waking anyone. "I can do either, though you may want to keep your own voice or it will sound as though I am conversing with myself."

" _Which will make it all the more fun_ ," Kaito said in Japanese, matching his brother's voice again. " _We_ can _do both._ "

"You are incorrigible." Saguru started to sit up and saw, over Kaito's shoulder, a fierce eye staring at them. _"Although you are confusing someone."_

Kaito turned and stared at Watson. He smiled. He wouldn't be dropping the voice. " _Well, he'll have to put up with my fun._ " When he moved, Kaito's hand went over something rough and he looked down at a small hole in the tent. When did- oh. Right. He got up on his knees and reached over to the metal case. " _This can be the norm from now on_." He lit another and knelt prayer fashion, now that he had room to properly kneel. This was the one and only time he was speaking in his own voice because he wasn't kidding. "Morning mom." He said a little prayer with it, passing the incense back over. "We're just one big, happy family."

Saguru accepted it, getting to his knees as well and adding a prayer of his own before extending it to Kaito. As he did so, he recalled last night, remembering what he had done, or not done, with the previous one and concluding it had been dropped somewhere. "It would be best not to repeat last night. How bad is the damage?"

"You took about an inch of the tent out," Kaito spoke in Saguru's voice, laughing. "Maybe tonight you can take out the whole thing."

"That will not be happening." Saguru reached over for his bag to grab some clothes for himself. "We ought to see where they are if they slept outside."

"Mom's with him so it's fine, whatever they're doing." Kaito looked down at himself. Yep, no going out in his underwear today, not with his dad. He went over and got shorts and a t-shirt to change into.

Saguru shifted and finally just pulled off the slept in shirt. At least he had some time to change while Kaito was preoccupied.

Kaito was going to be kind of nice this one time and not watch him change. It wasn't like he wanted to but he'd naturally see so he turned around and changed himself, waiting and eyeing Watson while he did, petting him a little so he could see that the voice thing wasn't that bad. " _Hey little guy. I'm just teasing our other brother. He needs a little needling or his head will get too big with all that rational thinking and the world will explode_."

Saguru shook his head, reminding himself that if he ever did not act like that, the same would likely happen. He pulled a clean shirt on and headed to the flap. "Once the two of you are done, perhaps you can both join us."

" _See?_ " Kaito said with encouragement. _"Now he sounds as if he's inviting us for tea. Oh what a mad world we're living it_ ," he added with a laugh, following his brother out and leaving the zipper open so Watson wouldn't tear the place apart. "You know you really could afford to lose some brain cells, if only to loosen up."

Saguru paused as he caught sight of the two adults by the water. "You were right about them not being far."

" _He came back. Wouldn't make much sense for him to vanish again_ ," Kaito said quietly so it wouldn't carry past its intended recipient. " _It's mom too. No one can get away from her, not even me_ ," he added with a laugh, watching Saguru get some sticks to start the fire back up. He sat down himself, grabbing what was in reach. He didn't really feel like bothering his parents.

Toichi looked back at the boy's. It had taken them maybe a minute to exit since she had said that Saguru was an early raiser. He chucked to himself and kissed her on the cheek. "I suppose I could get to a store and get my share of the food and some clothing for myself while I'm at it. I doubt _all_ present would like me running around in only what I can fit into."

"As their parent, I overrule both of them." She smiled at him. _"Not sure if you'll be going on your own though."_

" _Would you mind terribly if I took Kaito with me? I know the position of Saguru, but I do want to catch up with him._ "

 _"I think he'd like that and I doubt I'd really be able to stop him if I wanted to. You two need time to actually talk anyway."_ She leaned over and gave him a light kiss.

" _I will see you in a bit then,_ " Toichi said softly, returning it before freeing himself from around her and half sitting. " _Unless you have enough breakfast to last today until I can pick up more_."

 _"Oh, there's enough for breakfast."_ She pushed herself up onto her elbow. _"May as well wait until we eat or Kaito will get you to an ice cream place first."_

Toichi laughed, remembering a certain little monster that always found new ways to get into the freezer that even he couldn't always thwart. " _I supposed some things never change. We have some time then. Would you like me to return the favor with another quick walk around? You've told me of the dangers and some of the past, but you've ask me little and it feels as if we are catch up far faster than we should be_."

Chikage nodded. _"I wanted you to know so you could understand what was going on but I do want to know what happened that night and what led to it."_

" _I suppose that's fair. I know of two of the incidents you've been a part of. Would you like to take that walk or, as it doesn't seem fair, maybe some question and answer as a group would be best, both ways of course. We can have at each other while we eat,_ " he said with a light laugh and sat up himself. "I am going to change though. Walking around in pajamas seems silly." Going to the store in the same would be just as much, if not even more silly.

"I don't know, seems normal enough to me." She started to stand.

"Normal for an evening at home maybe," Toichi said with a smile and helped her up, going over to where he had discarded his clothes the other night. They were still damp since he had not hung them but they were not soaking and the air was warm. He changed back into them on the other side of the tent, holding back a shiver.

Chikage grabbed the bag Saguru had passed her from near the tent and slipped into a change of clothes before tossing the bag inside the tent, spotting the picture set up off to the side and smelling the familiar sent in the air. _"I guess that's why he didn't come back out for you."_ She got Watson on the stick that was sitting off to the other side of the tent and brought Watson out with her, despite him flapping a bit at the change in light.

Kaito watched from where he was being lazy and sitting on the floor. His saw his dad and mom, separating, and waited for her to come back out so they could both hear, not really caring which or if both heard. "Good morning."

Chikage smiled and started over. "Good morning. I didn't expect you up yet."

"Tsh. I think I slept enough yesterday." Kaito's sleep schedule was strange. He didn't used to sleep in so much but it had been getting harder and harder to wake when he didn't think he would have to. That didn't mean he was anywhere close to waking when his mom did.

Toichi came around the other side, seeing them setting up the fire and going to help the boy himself. He could see how Saguru cooked and added in his own touches as well. He also was going to send an hour or more with Kaito so it was only fair to spend some time with him as well. "You both have woken earlier than I would have guessed." He aimed his further question at Saguru. "I understand school but do you normally get up early for any particular reason?"

Saguru looked over. "It is simply a habit. Even when there is no school I would have things I do so I never really 'slept in' much aside from extenuating circumstances."

"What sort of things? You're a detective and I've never heard of work that usually striking out in the early morning. They tend to be when there are more technicians to consult with or happen late at night after a crime."

"While crimes occur at any given time, I also have a few other interests and will work on older cases as well."

"I see. You're one of those types that prefer to work than experiment with other pastimes. My opposite," he said with another laugh. While he preferred to be up early, he didn't do it specifically for any one set of things, even when he was Kaitou Kid himself. "Crimes, wanting to learn how to escape, and spending all of that time on one set thing. It's a great example of devotion. You usually see that in someone older who knows their path. To know so young is a great thing."

"It was something I wanted to pursue from a rather young age and my mother supported me. The escaping though was a slightly more recent idea, initially due to my pursuit, though more so that recent events have shown it would have been beneficial."

"Yes, well I can see a trend in your interests. You know, for escaping, you'll have to be flexible." Toichi smile and looked at his wife before looking back at Saguru. "Something like yoga will have to be a normal occurrence and we may as well do that as a group."

Saguru nodded as he checked the water. "I would expect something to that effect. While I never did anything of that sort, I can understand the need for full range of motion."

"Do you have any interest in learning to defend yourself too?"

Saguru looked over at him. "Honestly, I had not considered that." He had seen both Kaito and Hattori do things he would not be able to at the moment. "It would certainly be worthwhile. Did you have something in particular in mind?"

"Not anything specific more than basic self defense. You need strength as well as flexibility and it's better to work on something specific more than just concentrating on strength itself and all of them mix into one another rather well."

"I will not deny that that would have been useful." He turned his mind away from the recent events where that knowledge would have made a difference and pulled the water off the fire.

Saguru seemed to be done with using the fire so he went over to him. "Do you happen to have eggs, some kind of meat and maybe a few peppers and a skillet I could use?"

"It has been awhile since I have had an omelet though I believe we have those ingredients in the cooler bag."

Toichi laughed. "I wasn't planning on making an omelet, though I would appreciate your help if you could cut up the meat and peppers. If you have any seasoning too that would be great."

Saguru's interest was piqued and he rose, going to the tent to retrieve the cold bag and returning with it. "This is what was sent with us."

"That will be fine. Can you find something to cut it on? I don't know if you brought a board but any recyclable plates you came with will be fine." Toichi went over to where Saguru had been and got the other pot out of the bag. "And pass me over three eggs at a time, if it's not too much trouble."

Saguru was intrigued and pulled out a plate to cut the meat before grabbing the requested eggs and holding them out.

Toichi smiled and took them from him, setting them on the ground and putting the pan down. "I need a bowl myself and some milk." That he was sure was in the cooler the boy had so he went over to it and took out a small half carton. The food needed to be cut up at the same time the eggs were so he whipped them and the milk together, waiting for Saguru to say he was done.

Saguru set about cutting the meat and pepper before turning and holding the plate out. "Will this do?"

"That's just fine." He mixed the eggs with as much air in them as he could, putting the pan over the fire and just letting it get warm, not hot. He put the egg in and then the meat and peppers, adding some salt and letting it sit there. He looked over at Chikage. "You share with Kaito since this one will be done first and Saguru is still helping me." He looked over at him and smiled. "If you don't mind sharing with me."

"Not at all, though it does still appear to be simply a fluffier omelets. What is the difference that made you say it was not?"

"For one," Toichi moved the pan up, keeping it away from the hotter part of the fire. "This takes longer to cook and I don't mix any of the ingredients in. Usually you'd put pasta or something else in it but considering that there's nothing fancy going on I went down to the bare necessities. We're camping, we're not having a dinner party."

Kaito watched his dad and his brother, smelling the food. He usually just ate fried eggs, not omelets or whatever it was he was making. It definitely smelled different.

Toichi watched it carefully, looking at Saguru when the top was almost done. "Can I get a plate and a spatula?" He was handed both and flipped the skillet over, landing it on the plate, putting the pan down and cutting it up with the spatula, looking at Chikage since she was still standing. "Here, both of you share this and Saguru, please give me three more eggs."

Chikage took the plate and smiled at the two of them. Kaito may have hung on every trick Toichi showed him but Saguru looked interested enough in this as he passed him the eggs and Toichi repeated the cooking. "Here." She held out the plate to Kaito, a fork in it as she took another and had a bite herself. It smelled too tempting to pass up.

Kaito looked at the food and took the fork that was in it, tasting it. It was very different as opposed to what he normally ate but it really wasn't all that bad. Weird definitely and very foreign looking as it was, it kind of reminded him of all the new food he'd had on the other island.

Toichi started the one he'd be sharing with Saguru, adding in the ingredients before he looked at him. "Do you like anything else? I know some people who will add sauce or spices to their eggs."

"I am sure it is fine as it is, though perhaps we could experiment once we have a fully stocked kitchen." Saguru reached for the kettle and poured some water into a mug. "Do you prefer tea or coffee?"

"Either, and yes, that would be a lot better than doing this over a fire," Toichi comment with a light nod. "It's very hard to control the heat. Whichever you have more of for the drink I'll take."

Saguru made a cup of tea and offered it to him then made a second for himself.

Toichi took the cup and put it on the floor since sipping it now would burn him. He waited, getting a plate from where Saguru had gotten the first one and put theirs on the plate as well and cut it up. He ate of bit of it for himself, to taste it. It didn't come out bad for not having a kitchen open to him. He took the tea after the first bit, the sweet complimenting the savory. He laughed once more. "It's so warm and we're eating and drinking nothing but warm things."

"It's weird dad," Kaito said, though he'd eaten almost his half of it. "What is it?"

"It's called a Frittata, but it's missing a lot of its components right now."

Kaito nodded. Funny word. Yep, it was foreign. He figured that. Mom seemed to like it too though. "Since when could you cook?"

Toichi laughed quietly this time, at the memory it brought up. "I could always cook. Your mom and I used to do it together unless one or the other was busy. I doubt you'd remember though. This I learned more recently."

"Frittata. That sounds Italian. You learned how to cook Italian?" Chikage asked, taking another piece before Kaito could.

"It's one of the stranger food categories I found to learn how to cook without any other experience and I wanted something to keep my attention and still held the same experimentation that most of what I look into contains." He smiled and looked up at his wife. "I heard that it is also one of the most popular, so it couldn't hurt knowing more, though I can't say I can make anything other than Italian and Japanese food."

Chikage smiled. "I can't wait to see or taste what you can do with more than a campfire." She took another bite and her eyes flicked to him, getting ready to get some answers.

Toichi saw the intrigue and waved his hand to her. "Go on. Ask away. I said over breakfast."

"What happened that night?"

Toichi let out a breath, not in resignation but because he had seen that one coming. "For the actual act, I was alone. I hadn't known, when they first started stalking me, that one man had managed to stay on my trail. I had been avoiding the police, but I hadn't been watching out for more than that at the time. Several occurrences later in my career, as you will remember, had police officers suddenly leaving the force and several shots of gunfire were reported with no witnesses. They were better at handling things back then. That was a little after the time Kudo-kun and I started playing our game. Through his wife he reached me and offered his help to catch the assailants. We did. If anyone looked they will see that, several times, men had been booked on gun charges. One had shouted my name as I was leaving so I had to figure he had tailed me, or something of the like. I don't slip up."

"I looked," Kaito spoke up, catching on real fast what they were talking about. "I didn't see that there were any arrests made on anything even close to gun charges."

"Well now, someone's been messing with the records. That I didn't know." He looked over at his son, seeing the same gleam in younger eyes that he knew he had held in his own. "In any case I had to figure that one of them would try to get me at home so I checked almost everything that I touched, seeing that amateurish setup that, ultimately, was what I used to disappear. They knew my name, they knew me. I wasn't going to let them keep trying and get my family. Unfortunately though, I hadn't thought the explosives would be set off during the show. I know a few people were killed due to that. I escaped through the floor but there really was no helping anyone else. I wouldn't have kept performing if I had thought they were that stupid. The other acts towards me had been subtle." Toichi looked at his son. "You seem like you've met them."

Kaito nodded. "A few of them. Mostly I just have to deal with Snake and he's a complete moron so..." He shrugged. "It's no big deal. He couldn't hit me if we were right next to each other."

Toichi nodded, a few pieces being put together. "An amateur if I ever saw one. He may have been the one, or been acquaintances, with the one who set up the explosives in the stage. You rise through the ranks in those types of groups with your kills. I have to guess I was a pretty big catch. Besides escaping and Kudu-kun helping make the scene seem like an accident so no one else would get hurt, along with helping me into the United States, the rest is a long and boring story."

Saguru looked over at him and had his own question. "The stone, Pandora. She said you gave it to her, though how much are you about it and its abilities?"

Toichi turned to him. "I'm not sure. I didn't test it. It was through chance that I even really found it." He had to chuckle because of that one. "It was actually because of Kaito. I had gotten an invitation from one of my wealthier clients that wanted me to put on a magic show. Kaito was wandering off on his own and ended up in the room where the man kept his pets. He couldn't reach the top of the fish tank and picked up one of the man's decorative articles with reasoning that, if he couldn't get it, it was better to let the fish out. I heard the noise and found him crying because he had cut his arm on the glass. Only seconds later, after the wound had started to disappear and I did a more thorough search of the tank, did I find the reason why. That was the closest I came to testing it."

Kaito eyes went a little wide. "I don't remember that."

Toichi shrugged. "You were young and I couldn't get you to stop crying for some time." He looked over at Chikage. "He wasn't hurt in the end so I saw no reason to tell you."

Chikage looked over at both boys. So the three of them had all been exposed to the thing. "I wouldn't have seen anything anyway. I know it does work well." She noticed Saguru still looked like he wanted to say something though.

Toichi stopped smiling and kept his eyes on her. "You didn't say anything about that. Kaito was an accident, likely because he swallowed some of the water in the tank, but what else happened?"

Saguru saw their mother look at him and nod. He shook his head. "You were first and able to see it. I will add in after."

"She followed us to Hawaii and told me I could do something for her or she'd take out my family. I went to tell her no and, on the suggestion of Kudo-kun, I went with Shinichi-kun and Saguru. I kept Saguru behind a tree and when Shinichi-kun and I talked to her, she showed me the stone." Chikage glanced over at Saguru, remembering what his reaction was, even when he couldn't see what was happening. "She's also a better shot than most. She hit my wrist after a few misses. Saguru broke cover and found his way to me, not knowing where I was hit."

Toichi was not sure on a few counts of that story. Why and when were they in Hawaii? When had she started talking with Kudo-kun too? Why had it sounded like Saguru had a hard time finding her and why had Kaito not been there? What had that woman done against her word? Instead of interrupting though, because he wanted the rest of the story, he nodded, wondering what else happened. Chikage- he hadn't noticed anything wrong with her wrist.

Chikage looked back at Toichi and held up the hand. "Shattered and bleeding. Maybe a few minutes if it wasn't wrapped up. Saguru still managed that but he made a bargain with her for some liquid that would heal me... He left with her."

"And you're hand was healed. I had to figure it was something with the water since the stone itself didn't seem to-" He stopped his own mussing and turned to Saguru. "And if all of you were exposed, you were hurt."

"She did not physically injury me at that time. The events leading up to our going to Hawaii with the Kudos included the attack on me by Hakuba Damashi, which had left me slightly weakened and nearly blind."

Ah, an explanation for two of his earlier question. He had to wonder what the attack was because he didn't know more than he had nearly died from it. He had been well enough to travel so it likely the blindness and whatever injuries he had already had. That being the case, if she hadn't hurt him, his pervious injuries were likely why he had been exposed as well. "When I gave it to her I hadn't expected it to be used on anyone but her. So what happened?"

Saguru took a breath and looked at all three of them. He had not told them of her threat, for that was what it had been, to never die. "I made a mistake and accepted a store bought drink from her. She had slipped the rest of the liquid she had into it. The damage from what he had done as well as some from the days leading up to it were all healed. However, prior to that, she seemed ready to use me as a test of the full use of the stone."

The full power? "I can actually grant immortality?" He had considered it but he hadn't been tempted to try it. Sharon had seemed intent to mess with it but only on herself. That had been the only reason he had handed it over to her and even now, he was starting to think that he could have found a better way. Holding it himself though, was not one of the options. "I would not wish that on anyone. She didn't succeed, did she?"

Kaito looked at his brother. He'd been keeping that from him. All this time and he still didn't- He held back the anger and quickly lost it, knowing that he wouldn't have said anything himself either, not when everyone had been so happy and then all of this mess had continued. He waited, watching, wanting to know the answer too.

Saguru's hand went to his throat and he brushed his fingers against it. "I do not know what I said to change her mind but she pulled it away."

Kaito got up from where he was sitting, leaving the rest of what little of the food was left for his mom and sat next to his brother, hitting him lightly in the shoulder. " _Jerk, still hiding things_ ," he said, in a light tone and a bit teasingly.

"As though it is something you would have shared out of the blue."

Kaito laughed quietly. "Yeah, I guess not. I do say a lot of weird things out of the blue though."

Toichi smiled, relaxing. This was dangerous, having her possess it when she was testing it on others. He hadn't done it himself because he didn't know the side effects. It was truly a magic stone. He had no idea what that did on the body or the soul. There was no going back now though. He stood and smiled. "I think I'll head to the store on my own. I shouldn't be long." He hadn't eaten much but it would be fine cold as well if Saguru didn't finish it.

Chikage smiled at the two of her boys before looking up. "I'll come with you, I think the two of them can look after themselves or at least each other."

Toichi smiled and waited for her, offering her his hand. "We won't be far. I'm sure they can handle themselves."

"Oh, Kaito's still as mischievous as it seems he use to be. If he weren't going to either complain or pull age, I'd put Saguru in charge. As it is, they have to balance each other out now." Chikage smiled, taking his hand and standing.

Toichi walked off with her, not sure about leaving on that note. Saguru was reliving a terrifying event but he had trusted his son to take care of himself for ten years, so he had to trust him to take care of someone else now.

Kaito nudged his brother when their parents walked away. "Hey, you barely ate."

"I had nearly a quarter of it. I do not inhale either, the way you tend to do."

Kaito whistled. He'd seen mom take Watson out of the tent. He offered his arm, dealing with the claws. Smaller cuts in the forest were nothing new and he put him next to his brother, making sure Saguru had a nice head of messy hair while he got up. "Well don't leave okay? I have to go do something. Considering things, I might put this trip on hold for a day," he winked. "There's something I want you to experience."

Saguru shot him a look, half exasperated, half interested, before nodding.

Kaito got up and left him, walking a bit to make sure his sneaky brother couldn't hear him. He got on the phone with the old man. He doubted dad had enough money or the ability to get what he wanted but the old man could do it. If he said no, he said no. He had a thought about that too. His dad was so- well, Kaito thought he was better than himself. Why not really make this a fair fight? He'd talk to him about that later. Anyway, after some explaining and the old man seeing it wasn't really for him, he got an okay. In fact, it was somewhat enthusiastic. Kaito hung up, going back. How funny. He wondered just when the old man could have it ready.

Saguru was not certain what his brother was planning though he had an idea he would find out sooner rather than later. He scanned the area and called to Gladstone.

 _Human talking_. It sense it was to itself. It freed itself of the shadows of the trees. _Strange human. No orders again_. It came forward against, eyes gleaming before stopping in front of the human, mind confused about what it was supposed to do under this human creature's non-orders.

Saguru took some of the meat they had used and held it out, unsure what the spectral dog would eat or if he did. He sniffed at it but made no move to eat it. _"What do you eat?"_ he asked out loud, though more to himself.

 _Eat? Was the human going to feed it?_ It went to the piece of the dead mortal animal, growling and trying to take it away to get food. It bit onto the human's limb, but not hard _. Do not take food. Food was offered_. It whined through. The witch was fine but hers lasted. This human's was weak.

Saguru jerked then thought back. He had been bleeding slightly when he came to himself at the house with Gladstone in front of him. Could that have been something to do with it? This was crazier than Kaito had ever been, though he was grateful they had all left with what he was going to do. _"Is this what you need?"_

It looked at the offering and took it, going forward and licking before lightly getting the human's finger to rest on some of the back of it's teeth so it didn't need to keep opening it's mouth, closing its eyes.

Saguru felt as though he had plunged his finger into some ice-cold water. It seemed that whatever was done, he needed his blood. He resisted pulling away, resolving to find a way to do this so he did not have to seem to... chew on his finger. _"Alright, we will avoid going so long between these so you only need some each time."_

It sat down, happy to be fed. Human's weren't as good as witches. It didn't care much. There wasn't much taste anyway, just potency. Once it was happy enough that it would be fine for a few days it stopped and looked up at its master for orders.

Saguru flexed his finger a bit and petted Gladstone. _"That answered that question. I do not believe anything will happen but go find Kaito and watch him."_

It snorted, it's brain sparking in recognition. _Kaito. Other human. Watch_. It left, disappearing into the trees and off to watch its target.

Kaito was thinking now. If he could get this for Saguru, he'd have to- dad would. Ah, that would be hard. He wanted all- He called Jii, getting himself deafened and soon after having his heart fall. He had to apologize, explaining what had happened since the last time he had seen the old man. That had been... a while. He didn't say anything about his dad because that would just be fun. He needed the help from Jii too if they were all going to have some fun with this. Of course, this was permanent for his brother and his dad would need this anyway if they were going to mess around. He went back over to the campsite when all of that was sorted out, seeing his brother playing fetch with Watson. That was hilarious and made him laugh. "A dog with wings."

Saguru did not bother to turn at Kaito's words though he was aware that was what many may think with Watson's actions. A repeat of his command and Watson came at him, swooping low before veering upwards to grab the wrapped cloth in his talons. "I would usually use pieces of fresh meat tied to a string but as he ate yesterday it would be akin to overfeeding."

"Kami forbid you get a fat bird," Kaito said lightly with a laugh. "You know you better have ate while I was gone. You barely touched anything. Anyway, while mom and dad are out, lets go do something. How good are you at climbing trees?"

Saguru let Watson settle on his arm and looked over at Kaito. "I climbed on occasion as a child, why?"

"Because, you want to get in shape right? Let's make a game of it. I had to make sure you could keep up." Kaito grinned before poking his brother with one finger. "Tag, you're it."

"You can not be serious."

"I can so be serious. Let's make this more fun. A bet. Catch me, even once, in the next half an hour and you can ask me to do any one thing of your choosing." Kaito winked, taking a step back. "I win and we do the reverse."

"Ohhh no." Saguru knew Kaito would be as good as his word in this and would hold him to it himself. He gave Watson a push, adding a signal and sending him airborne and to a perch near the tent. "You are not getting away with that."


End file.
